this post was submitted on 24 Feb 2026
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Others have already offered good advice, so I will say "Water, Water, Water." Not just for drinking, but enough for washing too, just being able to keep clean can help a lot with the stress, just having small things you can control in a terrifying situation can help make it more manageable. Ideally you'd want at least 2 litres per person per day, but water is pretty heavy, and if you think you'll have to evacuate, carrying heavy container of water everywhere won't be practical. If you're going to hunker down in your house, filling a bathtub and cookware with water and covering it (so it doesn't get dust and dirt in it) can be a great way to have a fair bit of "washing water" while keeping separate containers of drinking water.
I don't know what sort of relationship you have with your neighbours, but right now it doesn't matter, even if you hate them more than anyone else in the world, pooling knowledge, resources and skills with them will be better than trying to survive things alone. Make sure you reach out to them this week and discuss the idea of helping each other if needed. You don't need to promise anything, but just knowing there are people nearby who can help you and you can help makes things easier to bear.
I really hope nothing comes of this and the US is just being a paper tiger, I've tried to give advice based on things I've heard from an Iraqi friend's family and how his family survived the US invasion, but I'm not sure how useful it is when it is half-remembered second hand accounts. The main thing I remember was just the idea of keeping things together and trying to not stress about the situation, just accepting what is happening and trying to calmly think of solutions when a problem arises. Routine and little things (like washing and general hygiene, or prayer if you are religious) can help you keep your sanity. Whatever helps keep you and your family calm, you know them best.
Stay safe.