TOC Talk – Day Zero: Grid Down

GoBag.One™ | GoBag or Stay Home™

A fictional but reality-based scenario from the Tactical Ops Center. This TOC Talk begins with a sudden grid-down blackout — power fails, cell towers go silent, and the neighborhood is thrown into uncertainty.

🕛 Event: 17:36 – Suburban Neighborhood, USA - Total Power Outage, No Comms

The late sun cut through the blinds. Lisa was chopping onions, Ellie and Max were playing with their dog Shadow in the back yard, and Jake clung to his work laptop at 5% battery. Then—click. Silence.

No hum from the fridge. Streetlights dead. Phones flashed “SOS only.”

Lisa moved first, reaching for the closet where headlamps and basic kit were stashed. Jake stared at his screen, hoping it might flicker back to life. The kids froze, waiting to see what Mom would say. Shadow pressed to the window, ears sharp.

📝 Jake’s Journal – 17:55

“First thought was: breaker. Stepped outside—wrong. Street’s dark, porch lights gone, neighbors in doorways. Lisa already had lanterns glowing. Ellie laughed, thought it was a game. Max asked if school would be canceled. Me? I felt behind. Again.”

📋 Lisa’s Action Log

• Confirmed full outage with neighbors (Ms. Ortega and Alex)
• Unplugged fridge/freezer, doors sealed
  (Doctrine: unopened freezer holds temp 24–48 hrs — see Home Power Outage Plan)
• Lanterns staged in hall, stairway, kitchen
• Phones switched to airplane mode to preserve charge
• GoBags staged near back door

🪖 Major Dave Arrives – 17:59

Boots on gravel. A backpack dropped to the table, folding solar panel unrolled like routine. The kids lit up: “Uncle Dave!”

“Well isn’t that a thing,” he said, calm as ever. Out came a compact radio and a PSK the size of a lunchbox. Lisa nodded like she’d been waiting. Jake folded his arms, silent.

The radio cracked with static, then a faint emergency broadcast (backup signaling basics).

“Grid’s down. Task is simple: maintain light, comms, water, morale. This isn’t panic time — it’s rehearsal. And you don’t miss rehearsals.”

🚪 Neighborhood Check-In – 18:15

• Alex (20s, next door) — no candles, no radio, just a drained phone
• Ms. Ortega (72, two doors down) — asked about her landline, confirmed dead
• Ellie and Max noticed Shadow pacing windows, ears twitching at every car rolling by in silence

Porches glowed dim. Voices carried in the dark. A neighborhood suddenly stripped of its hum. Dave circled once, then leaned toward Jake:

“First lesson? A calm house with light is a beacon. People watch. Set the tone right.”

✅ Outcome – Controlled Response

• Family executed the Home Power Outage Plan
• GoBags staged, first aid kit inventoried
• Kids reassured, Shadow settled
• Neighbors steadied by visible calm and preparedness
• Night One passed without panic, scrambling, or noise

Lisa’s final line in the log: “We stayed calm because we were ready.”

🔗 Related Pages & Gear

• Home Power Outage Plan
• GoBag Essentials Checklist
• Emergency Comms & Power Checklist
• First Aid / Medical Supplies Kit

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