AUTHORITY HISTORY

Protected Zones: From Survival Islands to Thriving Cities

History of the 15 Protected Zones (2033-2057)

What are Protected Zones?

Protected Zones are the 15 geographic regions where Authority maintains infrastructure, security, and services for 137 million citizens. Established January-June 2033 during Stabilization Phase, zones were built around surviving corporate infrastructure that weathered the 2032 Collapse.

Key Characteristics:

• Functioning power, water, and communications infrastructure
• Authority governance and security presence
• Healthcare and education systems
• Regulated borders separating from contaminated Belt regions

Why 15 Zones? The Geography of Survival

Corporate Infrastructure Survival

Five corporations (TerraCore, Nexus Global, Sentinel Corp, Unified Systems, Pacific Infrastructure) maintained hardened infrastructure that survived 2032 attacks. Their facilities became nuclei for protected zones:

• TerraCore: Major facilities in Northeast (Zones 1, 2, 7)
• Nexus Global: Midwest and Great Lakes (Zones 5, 6, 12)
• Sentinel Corp: Southeast and Mid-Atlantic (Zones 3, 4, 15)
• Unified Systems: Southwest and Texas (Zones 8, 9, 14)
• Pacific Infrastructure: West Coast (Zones 10, 11, 13)

Population Distribution

137 million survivors concentrated near functional infrastructure. Zones established where survivors clustered around working power and water:

Zone Establishment (January-June 2033)

The Process

Each zone established through systematic process:

1. Infrastructure Assessment: Evaluate surviving power, water, communications
2. Boundary Definition: Determine area sustainable with available infrastructure
3. Population Relocation: Move survivors from outlying areas to protected zones
4. Security Establishment: Create border security and internal order
5. Service Provision: Establish food distribution, healthcare, emergency services

Challenges During Establishment

• Resistance to Relocation: ~14% of survivors rejected zone relocation, attempted Belt settlement
• Infrastructure Overload: Existing systems strained by population influx
• Security Concerns: Violence and lawlessness during chaotic early months
• Resource Shortages: Food, water, medical supplies insufficient for populations

Results (June 2033)

• 15 zones established with defined boundaries
• 137M citizens relocated to protected zones
• Basic infrastructure (42% power, 38% water coverage)
• Emergency food distribution preventing starvation
• Death rate reduced 90% from peak Collapse levels

Zone Development (2033-2057)

Stabilization Phase (2033-2037)

Focus: Restore basic infrastructure and services

• Power coverage: 42% (2033) → 97% (2037)
• Water service: 38% (2033) → 95% (2037)
• Healthcare facilities: 240 hospitals reopened
• Schools: 82% enrollment achieved by 2037
• Security: Violence declined to manageable levels

Consolidation Phase (2037-2045)

Focus: Improve infrastructure to excellence, expand services

• Power uptime: 97% → 99.4%
• Water uptime: 95% → 99.7%
• 127 new hospitals built
• 1,840 clinics established
• 2,470 schools constructed
• Economic transition to market economy

Growth Phase (2045-2057)

Focus: Exceed pre-Collapse standards, prosperity

• Power uptime: 99.4% → 99.7% (exceeds pre-Collapse)
• Water uptime: 99.7% → 99.9%
• Healthcare access: 91% → 98.1%
• Unemployment: 7.8% → 4.2%
• Living standards approaching pre-Collapse levels

Inter-Zone Travel and the Checkpoint System

The Belt Regions

Between protected zones lie Belt regions: contaminated, unstable territory where 2032 infrastructure remains collapsed. Belt contamination from ruptured industrial facilities, damaged nuclear sites, and infrastructure decay makes unregulated crossing dangerous.

Early Deaths (2033-2042)

• 2033-2042 Deaths: 2,711 confirmed deaths from Belt crossing attempts
• Causes: Contamination, dehydration, violence, infrastructure hazards
• Problem: Citizens needed inter-zone travel for family, work, relocation

Checkpoint System Solution (2038-2042)

Authority built 47-checkpoint network enabling safe regulated crossings:

• Mandatory travel permits
• Health certification requirements
• Decontamination procedures
• Designated safe corridors through Belt
• GPS monitoring and emergency response

Results (2042-2057):

• 38.4 million safe crossings
• Zero deaths from authorized crossings
• Contamination spread into zones prevented

Individual Zone Profiles

Zone 1: Greater New York (18.4M citizens)

Largest protected zone centered on New York City and surrounding metropolitan area.

• Infrastructure: 99.8% power uptime, 99.9% water uptime
• Economy: Financial services, technology, manufacturing; 3.8% unemployment
• Notable: Authority central headquarters located in Zone 1

Zone 5: Great Lakes (14.1M citizens)

Industrial heartland centered on Chicago and surrounding Great Lakes region.

• Infrastructure: 99.7% power uptime, 99.9% water uptime
• Economy: Manufacturing, agriculture, technology; 4.1% unemployment
• Notable: Largest manufacturing output of any zone

Zone 11: Southern California (16.7M citizens)

Second-largest zone centered on Los Angeles and Southern California coast.

• Infrastructure: 99.6% power uptime, 99.8% water uptime
• Economy: Technology, entertainment, international trade; 4.4% unemployment
• Notable: Primary West Coast port for international trade

Zone 14: Texas (13.6M citizens)

Large zone covering central and eastern Texas.

• Infrastructure: 99.5% power uptime, 99.7% water uptime
• Economy: Energy production, manufacturing, agriculture; 4.7% unemployment
• Notable: Energy production center supplying multiple zones

Zone Governance Structure

Zone Administrators

Each zone managed by Authority-appointed Zone Administrator:

• Reports directly to Director General
• Manages local infrastructure, services, security
• Coordinates with Authority departments
• Implements Authority policies at local level
• No term limits; serves at Director General's discretion

Local Administration

Zone administrators oversee local departments:

• Infrastructure maintenance and operations
• Local law enforcement and emergency services
• Healthcare facilities
• Education systems
• Economic development and business coordination

Citizen Participation

No elected local governments; all administrators appointed by Authority. Citizens can:

• Submit feedback and complaints through Authority portals
• Request review of administrative decisions
• Access appeal processes for denials and violations
• Participate in community advisory boards (non-binding)

Criticism: Lack of democratic representation at local level criticized by opposition. Authority argues effectiveness more important than electoral legitimacy.

The Belt Question: Reclamation or Permanence?

Current Status (2057)

• Belt regions remain largely contaminated and uninhabitable
• Decontamination efforts limited to checkpoint corridors
• Full Belt reclamation estimated cost: $4-7 trillion over 30-50 years

Debate Over Belt Reclamation

Arguments For Reclamation:

• Expand habitable territory for population growth
• Eliminate checkpoint system (expensive, restrictive)
• Recover pre-Collapse cities and infrastructure
• Moral obligation to restore what was lost

Arguments Against Immediate Reclamation:

• Cost prohibitive; resources better spent on zone improvements
• Current population (137M) fits comfortably in protected zones
• Contamination levels still dangerous despite 25 years
• Checkpoint system works: zero deaths from authorized crossings
• Reclamation can wait for future generations

Authority Position (2057): Limited Belt reclamation continuing at checkpoint corridors. Full reclamation not prioritized given current population fits within existing zones and infrastructure investment in zones provides better return.

Protected Zones Assessment

Historic Achievement

From survival islands in 2033 to thriving cities in 2057:

• Infrastructure exceeding pre-Collapse reliability
• Universal access to healthcare and education
• Unemployment at 4.2% (effective full employment)
• Living standards approaching pre-Collapse levels
• Safe inter-zone travel via checkpoint network

Ongoing Challenges

• Belt regions remain contaminated; checkpoint system necessary indefinitely
• No democratic representation at any governance level
• Population stagnant at 137M; limited immigration
• Living standards still ~88% of pre-Collapse levels

The Fundamental Question

Are protected zones temporary necessity until Belt reclamation, or permanent geography of post-Collapse America? Authority actions suggest permanence: massive zone infrastructure investment, limited Belt reclamation, no expansion planning.

Historical Reality: Protected zones succeeded. 137 million citizens alive, prosperous, and secure. Whether current geography is permanent or transitional remains open question.

Related Reading: Checkpoint System Development | Belt Safety History