A crisis plan provides the framework and overall procedures for responding to a crisis, but it cannot provide a roadmap sufficient to cover the details of every incident that might occur.

Individual judgment will be needed about what you can and should do first, keeping in mind that the primary goal is taking care of people at risk and minimizing harm. Taking action to protect yourself may make it possible to in turn protect others. The choice of appropriate response actions will depend on the situation and your local conditions. Key factors include: