Site map
Water
- W-01How to make water safe to drink in an emergencyBoil it, bleach it, or filter and treat it. Exact amounts from the CDC.
- W-02How much water to store for an emergency1 gallon per person per day. Work out your household total in 10 seconds.
- W-03Emergency water sources in your homeYour water heater, pipes, ice and toilet tank hold water you can use. What to avoid.
Food
- F-01How long food lasts in the fridge and freezer when the power goes out4 hours in the fridge. 48 hours in a full freezer. What to keep and what to throw out.
- F-02How long does canned food last?12 to 18 months for high-acid cans, 2 to 5 years for low-acid. When to throw a can out.
Power and Heat
- P-01Portable generator safety: where to put it and how not to dieOutside only, more than 20 feet from the house, never in the garage.
- P-02What to do when the power goes outThe first steps, food and medicine rules, and the carbon monoxide mistakes that kill people in outages.
- P-03How to stay warm without powerClose off rooms, block drafts, layer up, and never heat with a gas oven or grill.
- P-04How to stay cool without power in a heat waveShade the windows, cool your body, know the 90°F fan rule, and spot heat stroke fast.
- P-05How to store gasoline safely at homeApproved can, cap on, out of the house, away from pilot lights. How much you can keep and how long it lasts.
- P-06What size generator do I need? (simple worked example)Add up the running watts, add the biggest starting watts, done. A worked example with a fridge, sump pump and furnace fan.
First Aid
- A-01What to put in a home first aid kit (Red Cross checklist)The 19 items the Red Cross recommends for a family of four. Tick them off as you go.
- A-02How to stop severe bleedingCall 911, press hard on the wound, pack it, and use a tourniquet on an arm or leg.
- A-03How to do hands-only CPRCall 911, then push hard and fast in the center of the chest, 100 to 120 a minute.
- A-04Medicines in a disaster: backup supply, emergency refills and storageBuild a backup supply, know your emergency refill rights, and what to throw out after a flood.
Disasters
- D-01Hurricane emergency kit checklistThe FEMA kit list as a tick-off checklist, plus the hurricane rules that keep people alive.
- D-0272-hour go bag checklistWhat to pack so you can leave home in minutes and get through 3 days. Red Cross and FEMA lists, ready to tick off.
- D-03Tornado safety: what to do in a tornado warningWhere to go in a house, mobile home, car or outdoors, the warning signs, and what a watch and a warning mean.
- D-04Winter storm safety: how to stay safe at home and on the roadHeating without fires or carbon monoxide, the car kit, what to do if you are stranded, and the signs of frostbite and hypothermia.
- D-05Flood safety: what to do before, during and after a floodHow deep is too deep, what each flood alert means, what to do if you are trapped, and how to return home safely.
- D-06How to make a family emergency planContacts, two meeting places, routes out, and a plan for every person, as a tick-off checklist.
Best Gear
- G-01Best portable generators with CO shutoffGenerators that switch themselves off when carbon monoxide builds up. What the safety standards mean and 6 picks.
- G-02Best portable power stations for power outagesBattery backup with no fumes. How to size one for a fridge or CPAP, and 5 picks.
- G-05Best NOAA weather radiosA radio that wakes you up for a tornado warning. What SAME and Public Alert mean, and 5 picks.
- G-03Best gravity water filters for emergenciesGravity filters checked against the CDC's pore-size rules and NSF standards. What each one removes, and what it does not.
- G-04Best freeze-dried emergency foodCount calories, not servings. Kits compared on calories, shelf life, water to cook and storage.
Chemical, Nuclear and Bio
- C-01What to do if a nuclear bomb goes offGet inside, stay inside, stay tuned. The official steps that save the most lives.
- C-02Radiation emergency: where to shelter in your home and for how longBasement or middle of the house, windows shut, air off, at least 24 hours.
- C-03Potassium iodide (KI): what it protects against and when to take itIt only protects the thyroid. Take it only when officials tell you to.
- C-04Dirty bomb: what it is and what to doIt is not a nuclear bomb. The blast is the main danger. Get inside, stay inside, stay tuned.
- C-05Chemical spill or release: how to shelter in place and seal a roomGet in, shut everything, air off, seal one room with plastic and tape, radio on.
- C-06How to clean yourself off after radiation exposureTake off your outer clothes, bag them, shower with soap and shampoo, no conditioner.
- C-07Pandemic and disease outbreak: what to have at homeA 2-week supply, bought slowly. The checklist health departments recommend.