Emergency Prep
These guides focus on short-term readiness: basic kits, water, food, power, communication, sanitation, weather hazards, evacuation, and shelter-in-place. The goal is to keep a household functional and safe during typical disruptions.
Basic Home Emergency Kit List
Core items every household should keep on hand for common short-term disruptions.
Power Outage Prep Basics
How to prepare for short and extended outages with lighting, heat, and battery priorities.
Protecting Important Documents at Home
Where and how to store vital documents so you can access them during and after an emergency.
Short-Term Evacuation Prep
Fast-load preparation steps so evacuating takes minutes, not hours.
Water Storage Basics
Safe storage amounts, container options, and rotation methods for emergency water.
Non-Perishable Food Basics
Simple food planning that avoids waste and keeps nutrition stable during outages.
Home First Aid Kit Basics
Essential supplies for typical household injuries and minor medical issues.
Backup Lighting Options
Flashlight types, lantern options, and what actually lasts during long outages.
Communication During Emergencies
How to stay informed and communicate clearly when power or cell service is unreliable.
Power Bank and Generator Basics
Portable power options and how to size them for phones, tools, and small appliances.
Shelter-in-Place Basics
How to secure your home and maintain essentials when staying put is safer than leaving.
Extreme Heat Prep Basics
Cooling strategies, hydration guidelines, and room selection during heat emergencies.
Extreme Cold Prep Basics
Heating alternatives, insulation steps, and key items that prevent cold-related injuries.
Earthquake Preparedness Basics
Securing furniture, building kits, and what to expect before and after shaking stops.
Flood Preparedness Basics
Elevation awareness, safe evacuation timing, and protecting electrical components.
Wildfire Preparedness Basics
Containment strategies, defensible space, and when to leave versus when to stay.
Tornado Preparedness Basics
Safe interior spaces, warning signs, and how to react when conditions shift quickly.
Hurricane Preparedness Basics
Securing windows, stocking supplies, and timing evacuations before conditions decline.
Chemical Spill Preparedness
When to shelter, when to evacuate, and how to avoid airborne contaminants.
Radiation Emergency Basics
Understanding exposure types and how distance, shielding, and time reduce risk.
Home Hazard Identification
How to walk your property and locate risks that become problems during emergencies.
Emergency Water Filtration Basics
Simple filtration and purification options when standard water sources fail.
Emergency Sanitation Basics
Managing waste, hygiene, and contamination during outages or shelter-in-place events.
Family Communication Plan Basics
How to coordinate meeting spots, contacts, and check-ins when systems are unreliable.
Neighborhood Coordination Basics
How neighbors can share information, tools, and help during short emergencies.
Emergency Cooking Basics
Safe ways to cook indoors or outdoors when the power is out.
Evacuation Route Planning
Planning primary and backup routes that avoid obvious chokepoints and hazards.
Go-Bag Checklist
Critical items that need to be grab-ready for fast exits.
Stay-Bag Checklist
Supplies meant for sheltering in place during extended disruptions.
Home Security During Disasters
How disasters affect break-ins, access points, and line of sight around the property.
Medication Management During Emergencies
How to store, rotate, and transport medications safely in heat, cold, or evacuation.
Pet Emergency Prep Basics
Food, transport, containment, and medical prep for pets during disasters.
Car Emergency Kit Basics
Supplies to keep in your vehicle for breakdowns or evacuation support.
Backyard Fire Shelter Basics
Practical shelter options for last-resort wildfire conditions.
Emergency Cash Storage Basics
Where to keep small emergency cash reserves so they’re accessible and secure.
Urban Emergency Prep Basics
How prep changes when you live in dense areas with limited storage or evacuation routes.
Rural Emergency Prep Basics
Challenges unique to rural households including distance, heat, and water supply.
Bug-In vs Bug-Out Basics
How to choose whether to stay put or leave depending on the hazard and timing.
Evacuation Loading Priorities
What goes in the car first when time is limited and weight matters.
Avoiding Common Prep Mistakes
Easy-to-fix errors that make emergencies harder than they need to be.
Emergency Bicycle Prep Basics
Setting up a bike as an evacuation or movement tool when roads are congested.
Fuel Storage Safety Basics
Safe storage rules for gasoline, diesel, and propane during long-term disruptions.
Emergency Radio Basics
Types of emergency radios and how to use them effectively for local updates.
Home Hazard Mapping Basics
How to map your home’s weak points and use it to plan better emergency moves.
72-Hour Survival Basics
Priorities and supplies that keep a family stable during the first three days of disruption.
Safe Room Basics
Where to position a safe room and how to equip it for storms and civil disruptions.
Backyard Water Collection Basics
Rainwater collection and storage methods that supplement emergency supplies.
Emergency Heating Options
Safe, realistic heating alternatives for outages in cold conditions.
After-Disaster Re-Entry Basics
How to safely return home after floods, fires, storms, or evacuation.