This study analyzes the life support tasks of the initial postattack recovery period from the time the survivors emerge from shelters until they have been provided with adequate accommodations. The objective is to provide a basis for the subsequent development of operational contingency descriptions of typical damage situations in metropolitian areas. The tasks necessary for survival are defined and estimates are made of the effort, equipment, and number of med required for the tasks. The major tasks analyzed are (1) debris clearance, (2) delivery of food and water, (3) decontamination, (4) relocation of the homeless survivors, and (5) boarding windows.