Crisis-Ready Society
Scenarios / Evacuation, conflict & unrest

Civil unrest and lockdowns

Protests, unrest or official curfews can close roads, shops and airports and cut phone or internet services at short notice. This page helps your family stay away from trouble, follow official instructions and stay supplied and in touch while staying home.

Depends on regional security
In the UAEIn the UAE, read each National Early Warning System phone alert and follow its instructions; NCEMA calls this the key step to protect lives.[7]

Before

  • Keep several days of food, water, medicines, a torch and batteries at home.[1]
  • Keep passports and visas valid and stored where you can grab them.[1]
  • Keep your car fuel tank full and a grab bag ready.[1]
  • Make a family plan that does not depend on government help.[1]
  • Sign up for official travel or emergency alerts for where you live or travel.[1]
  • Keep paper copies of key numbers and download offline maps.[2]
  • Agree a meeting point in case phones and internet stop working.[2]
  • Know a main route home and at least one alternative.[2]

During

  • Stay away from crowds, protests and large gatherings.[1]
  • If trouble starts nearby, leave quickly and do not stop to watch or film.[3]
  • Follow local authority instructions, including curfews or orders to move.[3]
  • Follow local media and official updates for planned protests and closures.[3]
  • Tell family and friends that you are safe or need help.[1]
  • Save phone battery and try messaging or Wi-Fi calling if calls fail.[2]
  • Check on vulnerable neighbours who live alone.[2]
  • Share only news from official or reliable sources.[4]

After

  • Keep checking official advice before travelling, as conditions can change fast.[5]
  • Contact your airline, tour operator and insurer about disrupted plans.[1]
  • Talk through what happened with people you trust and ease back into routines.[6]
  • Seek professional help if distress lasts more than two to four weeks.[6]
  • Restock food, water, medicines and fuel.[1]

Watch

Short how-to videos for this topic are being added to our channel.
Watch Crisis-Ready Society on YouTube

Official sources

  1. GOV.UK (FCDO): How to deal with a crisis overseas
  2. UK Government (Prepare): Phone and broadband outages
  3. GOV.UK (FCDO): DR Congo travel advice: safety and security
  4. Swedish Civil Defence and Resilience Agency (MCF): Psychological defence
  5. UK Government (Prepare): Overseas emergencies
  6. UK Government (Prepare): Coping with trauma
  7. NCEMA (UAE): The National Early Warning System

Steps are written in our own words from these pages. If advice from your local authority differs, follow your local authority.

Offline mode: showing saved pages