Notify close family first
Start with spouse or partner, adult children, and siblings.
Why This Is Hard
In a crisis, the most capable people freeze — because no one told them what comes first.
When something unexpected happens, your family faces an immediate flood of decisions: who to call, what to find, where things are, and what needs to happen now versus what can wait.
The first 72 hours are not about making major decisions. They are about stabilizing, securing the home, notifying the right people, and finding the documents that are time-sensitive.
The Real Cost of Not Having a Plan
It is not just the grief — it is the practical scramble on top of it. Accounts that go unnoticed. Bills that lapse. Property left unsecured. A simple checklist your family can follow helps prevent most of this.
What Needs to Happen First
The six things your family should do in the first 72 hours.
These are actions, not major decisions. Each one helps your family stabilize the situation quickly.
Secure the home and property
Handle keys, vehicles, pets, and any unoccupied property.
Find the urgent documents
Locate insurance, will or trust, and access instructions.
Identify bills that cannot wait
Focus on mortgage, health insurance, and car insurance first.
Call the one person who knows the most
An attorney, advisor, or trusted relative can help prioritize.
Do only what matters now
Major financial and property decisions can wait.
What Can Wait
Not everything is urgent. Knowing the difference matters.
One of the biggest mistakes families make in the first week is treating everything as equally urgent. That leads to burnout, rushed decisions, and unnecessary stress. The goal is not to do everything — it is to do the right things first.
Handle now
- Notify immediate family
- Secure the home, pets, and vehicles
- Locate urgent documents
- Address bills or deadlines with real short-term consequences
Can wait
- Closing accounts
- Selling property
- Canceling subscriptions
- Sorting every piece of mail
- Making major financial decisions
If it does not create a real problem in the next 72 hours, it probably can wait.
A Simple Rule
If missing it in the next 72 hours causes a real problem — a lapsed policy, missed payment with consequences, unsecured property, or a person not notified — it is urgent. If it only feels urgent because everything feels overwhelming, it can wait.
That is exactly why the First 72 Hours Checklist helps.
Give your family a calmer place to start.
In a crisis, people do not need more information. They need the right information in the right order. A simple written checklist helps your family know what to do first.