Do these in order. One at a time. If you only manage the first two today, that is fine.
1. Get away from anything dangerous
Before anything else, move away from fire, deep or moving water, a busy road, or anything electrical that is broken or in water.
If the building feels unsafe, if you can smell gas, or if there is smoke, go outside and stay outside.
2. Try 999
Try it even if you think it will not work. Trying costs nothing.
Say your name. Say where you are. Say that you are on your own.
If nothing happens, or nobody answers, that is not your fault and it does not mean you did it wrong. Phones and networks sometimes stop working. Try again later. Keep trying every now and then.
3. Look at the card
There is a card in the go-bag and one stuck up at home. It has names, numbers and addresses on it of people who know you.
Try to phone them. If the phones are not working, look at where they live. If one of them is close enough to walk to safely in daylight, and you know the way, you can go there.
If you are not sure, do not go. Stay where you are instead. That is step 4, and it is the important one.
4. Stay where you can be found
This is the one that matters most.
Somebody who knows you is going to come looking for you. The easiest way to be found is to be where they will look.
Stay at home if home is safe. If you cannot stay at home, go to the meeting place the family agreed, the one on the card.
Leave a note. Write where you have gone and when you went. Put it somewhere obvious, like the front door, and put another one where you sleep. Use pen, not pencil, and put it somewhere the rain cannot reach.
If you keep moving around, you are much harder to find. Staying put is not doing nothing. It is the job.
5. Sort out warmth, water and food
Now, and not before now, see to yourself.
- Put more clothes on. Layers work better than one thick coat.
- Drink some water, from the bottles or from a tap that is still working.
- Eat something that does not need cooking, if you can face it.
- Go to the toilet while you are thinking about it.
If you cannot eat yet, that is normal and it is fine. Drink something though, even if you are not thirsty.
There is a whole page on this: Staying safe and warm.
6. Then rest
You are allowed to sleep. Sleeping is not giving up. It is what you are supposed to do.
Being tired makes everything harder and makes people make bad choices. Getting some sleep is one of the sensible things on this list, not a break from it.
Tomorrow, start again at step 2. Try the phone. Check the note is still there. Stay findable.