Fatigue degrades everything
After 24 hours without sleep, cognitive performance degrades to the equivalent of a 0.10 blood alcohol level (above the legal driving limit in every state). Judgment, reaction time, emotional regulation, and decision quality all decline.
Extended emergencies (multi-day outages, disaster recovery) require sustained effort, not sprint effort. Pushing through without rest produces compounding errors: a bad repair, a missed hazard, a conflict that escalates because everyone is exhausted.
Rest rotations
Establish a rest rotation so at least one adult is rested at all times. Even 4 to 6 hours of sleep per person per 24-hour period dramatically improves performance. The rotation does not need to be equal; it needs to ensure someone is always clear-headed.
Tasks that cannot wait (water, safety, medical) need clear-headed people. Tasks that can wait (non-urgent repairs, organizing) absorb the lower-performance hours.
Fatigue does not announce itself
People who are severely fatigued consistently overestimate their own alertness. Watch for: irritability, difficulty concentrating, repeating questions, making simple mistakes, and emotional overreaction. If you notice these in yourself or others, it is past time to rest.
- After 24 hours without sleep: equivalent to 0.10 BAC
- Establish rest rotations: at least one rested adult at all times
- 4-6 hours sleep per person per 24 hours maintains function
- Critical tasks need clear-headed people
- Fatigue signs: irritability, mistakes, difficulty concentrating
- Emergency Preparedness — FEMA extended emergency management.