---
title: "Devolution continuity sites"
description: "How the US plans to keep federal functions running through a catastrophic event."
canonical: https://tomsharman.com/bookshelf/biological-war/devolution-continuity-sites/
updated: 2026-11-03
---

# Devolution continuity sites

> How the US plans to keep federal functions running through a catastrophic event.

Annie Jacobsen's framework, from Biological War, pp. 227 to 292.

Framework 2 of 3 from [Biological War](https://tomsharman.com/bookshelf/biological-war/index.md) by Annie Jacobsen. Category: Systems and operations.

## The steps

1. **Hot sites.** Always-on alternate federal facilities that run 24/7 with staff, systems and backup data, and take over seamlessly.
2. **Warm sites.** Standby locations with baseline infrastructure that become operational within twelve hours of activation.
3. **Cold sites.** Unstaffed, pre-positioned geographic insurance that needs advance teams to start and survives a destabilising event.

## Where it comes from

From chapter: Part V: Martial Law, pp. 227–292

## The animation

24 seconds, 4:5, no sound.

- MP4: https://tomsharman-downloads-006143767029.s3.eu-north-1.amazonaws.com/downloads/bookshelf/biological-war/devolution-continuity-sites.mp4
- MP4, dark: https://tomsharman-downloads-006143767029.s3.eu-north-1.amazonaws.com/downloads/bookshelf/biological-war/devolution-continuity-sites-dark.mp4
- Still: https://tomsharman-downloads-006143767029.s3.eu-north-1.amazonaws.com/downloads/bookshelf/biological-war/devolution-continuity-sites.png
- Still, dark: https://tomsharman-downloads-006143767029.s3.eu-north-1.amazonaws.com/downloads/bookshelf/biological-war/devolution-continuity-sites-dark.png