# Prep Index

> The survival database: plain answers to emergency preparedness questions for US households, sourced from FEMA, CDC and Red Cross.

## Water
- [How to make water safe to drink in an emergency](https://prepindex.ai/water/make-water-safe-to-drink/): The CDC says boiling is the best way to kill germs in water: bring clear water to a rolling boil for 1 minute (3 minutes above 6,500 feet). If you cannot boil it, add 8 drops of unscented household bleach per gallon, stir, and wait at least 30 minutes before drinking.
- [How much water to store for an emergency](https://prepindex.ai/water/how-much-water-to-store/): The CDC says to store at least 1 gallon of water per person, per day, for 3 days, and a 2-week supply if you can. That gallon covers drinking, cooking and brushing teeth, so store more for hot weather, pregnancy, illness and pets.
- [Emergency water sources in your home](https://prepindex.ai/water/emergency-water-sources-at-home/): The CDC lists water you can use from inside your home: your water heater tank, melted ice cubes made with uncontaminated water, the toilet tank (not the bowl) if the water is clear and has no cleaner in it, and the liquid from canned fruit and vegetables. Never use water from radiators, hot water boilers that heat the house, or waterbeds, which FEMA says may contain fungicides and chemicals from the vinyl.

## Food
- [How long food lasts in the fridge and freezer when the power goes out](https://prepindex.ai/food/food-safety-power-outage/): With the doors kept shut, food stays safe for about 4 hours in a refrigerator, 48 hours in a full freezer and 24 hours in a half-full freezer, according to the CDC. After 4 hours without power, throw out refrigerated meat, poultry, fish, eggs and leftovers.
- [How long does canned food last?](https://prepindex.ai/food/how-long-canned-food-lasts/): The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service says high-acid canned foods such as tomatoes and fruit keep their best quality for 12 to 18 months, and low-acid canned foods such as meat and vegetables keep for 2 to 5 years. The date on a can is usually a "Best if Used By" date for quality, not safety, so a can that is in good shape and stored properly should still be safe after it (USDA).

## Power and Heat
- [Portable generator safety: where to put it and how not to die](https://prepindex.ai/power/portable-generator-safety/): Run a portable generator outside only, more than 20 feet from any window, door or vent, says the CDC. Never run one in a house or garage, even with the doors open, and have a battery-powered carbon monoxide alarm working inside.
- [What to do when the power goes out](https://prepindex.ai/power/power-outage-what-to-do/): FEMA's Ready.gov says to keep the fridge and freezer closed, unplug appliances and electronics to protect them from surges, and use flashlights instead of candles. The CDC says never use a generator, grill, camp stove or gas oven inside your home, because the carbon monoxide they give off can kill.
- [How to stay warm without power](https://prepindex.ai/power/stay-warm-without-power/): The National Weather Service says to close off rooms you do not need, stuff towels in the cracks under doors, close blinds or curtains, and wear layers of loose, warm clothing. The CDC says never heat your home with a gas oven, and to get medical help right away if someone's temperature falls below 95°F (CDC).
- [How to stay cool without power in a heat wave](https://prepindex.ai/power/stay-cool-without-power/): The CDC says to go to an air-conditioned shelter, mall or library, or take cool showers or baths, and to drink plenty of fluids. At home, cover sunny windows with shades (EPA), and only use a fan if the room is below 90°F, because the CDC says above that a fan can raise your body temperature.
- [How to store gasoline safely at home](https://prepindex.ai/power/store-gasoline-safely/): The CPSC says store gasoline in a child-resistant gas can with the cap on, in a cool, well-ventilated place, and never inside the house, in a basement or near pilot lights, heaters or other things that can light it. Fill the can on the ground, not in a truck bed or trunk, to cut the risk of static igniting the vapors (Mass.gov).
- [What size generator do I need? (simple worked example)](https://prepindex.ai/power/what-size-generator/): Champion Power Equipment says to add up the running watts of everything you want to run at the same time, then add the highest starting watts of any one item. Using Honda's appliance figures, a fridge, a 1/2 HP sump pump, a furnace fan, a TV and five LED bulbs come to about 4,400 watts at peak and 2,200 watts running.

## First Aid
- [What to put in a home first aid kit (Red Cross checklist)](https://prepindex.ai/first-aid/home-first-aid-kit-checklist/): The American Red Cross recommends a family-of-four kit with 19 items, from 25 adhesive bandages and gauze pads to gloves, tweezers, an emergency blanket and a first aid instruction booklet. Keep one at home and one in the car, and check it regularly for used or expired items.
- [How to stop severe bleeding](https://prepindex.ai/first-aid/stop-severe-bleeding/): Call 911, then press hard and steadily on the wound with both hands and keep pressing until the bleeding stops or help takes over (Red Cross). For life-threatening bleeding on an arm or leg, the Red Cross says to put a tourniquet 2 to 3 inches above the wound, between the wound and the heart, never on a joint, and tighten it until the bleeding stops.
- [How to do hands-only CPR](https://prepindex.ai/first-aid/hands-only-cpr/): The American Heart Association says hands-only CPR has two steps: call 911 if you see a teen or adult suddenly collapse, then push hard and fast in the center of the chest to the beat of a song with 100 to 120 beats a minute, such as "Stayin' Alive." The Red Cross says to push at least 2 inches deep and let the chest come back up after each push.
- [Medicines in a disaster: backup supply, emergency refills and storage](https://prepindex.ai/first-aid/medicines-in-a-disaster/): The CDC says to talk to your doctor or pharmacist about building an emergency supply of your medicines, keep a written list of them, and learn your state's emergency refill law, because some states let pharmacists give early refills during a declared emergency. The FDA says medicine that has touched floodwater or unsafe water should be thrown out, even in its original container, and replaced as soon as possible.

## Disasters
- [Hurricane emergency kit checklist](https://prepindex.ai/disasters/hurricane-kit-checklist/): FEMA's Ready.gov basic kit starts with water, food, a battery or hand-crank radio, a NOAA Weather Radio, a flashlight, a first aid kit, spare batteries and a whistle, packed in airtight bags in one or two easy-to-carry containers. For a hurricane, also know your evacuation zone and never drive through floodwater.
- [72-hour go bag checklist](https://prepindex.ai/disasters/72-hour-go-bag-checklist/): The American Red Cross says a kit for evacuation needs a 3-day supply of water (1 gallon per person per day) and easy-to-prepare food, plus a flashlight, a battery or hand-crank radio, extra batteries, a first aid kit, a 7-day supply of medications, copies of personal documents, phone chargers, cash, an emergency blanket and a local map. FEMA's Ready.gov says to pack it in airtight plastic bags inside an easy-to-carry container and keep it where everyone in the house knows to grab it.
- [Tornado safety: what to do in a tornado warning](https://prepindex.ai/disasters/tornado-safety/): The National Weather Service says that when a tornado warning is issued you should go to a basement, safe room or an interior room away from windows, on the lowest floor, and protect your head. Mobile homes, sheds, tents and cars are not safe, so get to a sturdy building.
- [Winter storm safety: how to stay safe at home and on the road](https://prepindex.ai/disasters/winter-storm-safety/): The National Weather Service says to plan for losing heat, power and phone service, stock food, water and medicine before the storm, and keep a winter kit in your car. The CDC says never use a stove to heat your home or run a generator indoors, and a body temperature below 95°F is an emergency.
- [Flood safety: what to do before, during and after a flood](https://prepindex.ai/disasters/flood-safety/): The National Weather Service says never walk or drive into floodwater: 6 inches of moving water can knock you down, and 12 inches can float a car or small SUV. Evacuate as soon as water starts to rise or when you are told to, and get to higher ground.
- [How to make a family emergency plan](https://prepindex.ai/disasters/family-emergency-plan/): FEMA's Ready.gov says a family emergency plan needs one contact outside your town that everyone can reach, safe places to meet if you are separated, and regular practice. The American Red Cross says to choose two meeting places (one right outside your home, one outside your neighborhood), give everyone a written contact card, and practice evacuating twice a year.

## Best Gear
- [Best portable generators with CO shutoff](https://prepindex.ai/gear/best-generators-with-co-shutoff/): The CPSC says to look for a portable generator with a carbon monoxide shut-off feature, which turns the engine off automatically when dangerous CO builds up nearby, ideally one certified to the latest PGMA G300 or UL 2201 standard. The shutoff is a backup, not a license to cut corners: the CDC still says run any generator outside only, more than 20 feet from windows, doors and vents.
- [Best portable power stations for power outages](https://prepindex.ai/gear/best-portable-power-stations/): Pick a power station by how many watt-hours (Wh) your devices use in a day and how many watts they draw at once. Use the Department of Energy formula, watts times hours, then choose a LiFePO4 model with more capacity than that total and check with your device's maker that it can run on battery power, as the CDC advises.
- [Best NOAA weather radios](https://prepindex.ai/gear/best-noaa-weather-radios/): The National Weather Service says every home and business should have a NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards, because it can wake you when a warning is issued for your area. The NWS recommends a receiver with the Public Alert logo or SAME, with battery backup, programmed with your county's 6-digit SAME code.
- [Best gravity water filters for emergencies](https://prepindex.ai/gear/best-gravity-water-filters/): The CDC says a filter needs an absolute pore size of 0.3 micron or smaller to remove bacteria and 1 micron or smaller to remove parasites, and that portable filters will not remove viruses, so add a chemical disinfectant after filtering. For a home emergency, choose a gravity filter that states an absolute pore size of 0.2 micron or smaller, or a purifier that claims the NSF P231 standard for viruses, and check any certification in NSF's own listings.
- [Best freeze-dried emergency food](https://prepindex.ai/gear/best-freeze-dried-emergency-food/): Judge emergency food by calories, not servings: the FDA calorie chart puts most adult women at 1,600 to 2,400 calories a day and most adult men at 2,000 to 3,000, and some kits sold as a month of food list less than that a day (Augason Farms lists 1,290). Then check the shelf life claim, how much water it takes to cook, and the sodium, and store it somewhere cool and dry, below 85°F as USDA advises for shelf-stable food.

## Chemical, Nuclear and Bio
- [What to do if a nuclear bomb goes off](https://prepindex.ai/chemical-nuclear-bio/nuclear-explosion-what-to-do/): Get inside, stay inside, stay tuned. FEMA's Ready.gov says that after the shockwave passes you have 10 minutes or more to get inside before fallout arrives, so get into the nearest building, ideally brick or concrete, go to the basement or the middle, and expect to stay at least 24 hours unless officials tell you otherwise (CDC).
- [Radiation emergency: where to shelter in your home and for how long](https://prepindex.ai/chemical-nuclear-bio/radiation-emergency-shelter-in-place/): Go to the basement or the middle of the building, close and lock the windows and doors, and turn off anything that pulls air in from outside, says the CDC. Stay inside for at least 24 hours unless officials say otherwise (CDC).
- [Potassium iodide (KI): what it protects against and when to take it](https://prepindex.ai/chemical-nuclear-bio/potassium-iodide-ki/): Potassium iodide (KI) only protects the thyroid gland from radioactive iodine, says the FDA. It does not protect the rest of your body, and it does not protect against a dirty bomb. Take it only when local public health or emergency officials tell you to, and follow the package directions.
- [Dirty bomb: what it is and what to do](https://prepindex.ai/chemical-nuclear-bio/dirty-bomb-what-to-do/): A dirty bomb is a regular explosion that spreads radioactive material around the area. The CDC says it cannot create an atomic blast, and the main danger is the explosion itself (CDC). If one goes off near you: get inside, stay inside, stay tuned.
- [Chemical spill or release: how to shelter in place and seal a room](https://prepindex.ai/chemical-nuclear-bio/chemical-emergency-shelter-in-place/): If officials tell you to shelter in place for a chemical release, get inside, close and lock the doors and windows, turn off all ventilation, and seal yourself into an inside room with plastic sheeting and duct tape (Nevada Division of Emergency Management). Turn on a radio and wait for the all-clear.
- [How to clean yourself off after radiation exposure](https://prepindex.ai/chemical-nuclear-bio/radiation-decontamination/): Take off your outer layer of clothes carefully and seal them in a bag. The CDC says this alone can remove up to 90% of radioactive material. Then shower with soap and shampoo, without conditioner, and put on clean clothes.
- [Pandemic and disease outbreak: what to have at home](https://prepindex.ai/chemical-nuclear-bio/pandemic-what-to-have-at-home/): The Pennsylvania Department of Health advises storing at least a 2-week supply of basics, so you can stay home with little outside help. FEMA's Ready.gov says buy supplies slowly so everyone gets what they need, and follow CDC guidance.

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