Power & light
The 72-hour blackout plan: what to do hour by hour
A calm, step-by-step plan for the first three days of a power outage: what to do in the first hour, the first evening, and on days two and three.
Read the guide →18 free guides
Free guides
Short answer first, then the details. Every number comes from a source we link to.
Power & light
Power & light
How to keep phones charged in a blackout
Make your phone battery last through a power cut: low power mode, a power bank, a solar charger, safe car charging, and why texting beats calling.
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How to run a fridge on a portable power station (honest maths)
Plain-language sizing for running a fridge from a portable power station: watts, startup surge, hours of runtime, solar recharging, and safe cords.
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Why the power grid is under strain, and what your family can do
Electricity demand is rising fast, partly from data centres, while weather keeps testing the grid. Here is what NERC and the EIA say, in plain words.
Read the guide →Water
Water
How much water to store for an emergency
Plan one gallon of water per person per day. Learn how to store it, rotate it, and cover pets, using simple containers and the bathtub as a backup.
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How to make water safe to drink: boiling, bleach, filters and tablets
Make water safe in an emergency: boil it, treat it with plain bleach using the EPA table, or use tablets and filters correctly. Clear steps for cloudy water too.
Read the guide →Food & cooking
Food & cooking
How to cook without power safely
Safe ways to cook and eat in a blackout: no-cook meals, an induction cooktop on a power station, camp stoves outdoors only, and food that keeps without a fridge.
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Food safety in a power outage: fridge and freezer rules
How long food stays safe in a fridge and freezer when the power is out, which foods to throw away, and why a simple thermometer is worth having.
Read the guide →First aid & medicine
First aid & medicine
Home medicine and first-aid kit: what to keep and how to store it
Build a home first-aid and medicine kit: what to stock, prescription refills before storms, insulin storage without power, a trauma kit and training courses.
Read the guide →Warmth & shelter
Warmth & shelter
How to stay warm without power
Keep your family warm in a winter blackout: pick one room, dress in layers, use sleeping bags, seal drafts, know hypothermia signs, and use only safe heat.
Read the guide →Toilet & hygiene
Toilet & hygiene
How to set up an emergency toilet when the water stops
A simple, clean way to manage toilet needs when water or sewer service stops: a bucket toilet, waste bags, absorbent gel, handwashing, and safe disposal.
Read the guide →Radios & news
Radios & news
How to communicate when phones are down: radios, mesh texting and check-in times
Reach your family when cell service fails: text first, FRS and GMRS radios, Meshtastic mesh texting, shortwave and AM radio for news, plus code words and check-in times.
Read the guide →Radios & news
NOAA Weather Radio: how to set one up and find your station
Set up a NOAA Weather Radio: find your local frequency and SAME county code, program the radio, test it, and use crank or solar power when the lights are out.
Read the guide →Home safety & tools
Home safety & tools
Carbon monoxide safety during a power outage
Carbon monoxide kills quietly. Learn which outage tools are dangerous, where to place CO alarms, the warning signs, and how to use a Mr. Heater Buddy safely.
Read the guide →Papers & storage
Papers & storage
Family emergency plan: a fill-in checklist you can finish tonight
Make a simple family emergency plan: meeting places, an out-of-town contact, a paper contact card, medicines, pets, school pickup and documents. Free checklist.
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How to buy your kit: one-click cart and tips before you check out
How the Add whole kit to cart button works, what you can change before checkout, and tips for a smart first order: check what you own, test everything, date and rotate.
Read the guide →Offline helper
Offline helper
Build a home helper hub: offline Wikipedia and AI for every phone in the house
Use a small mini PC and a travel router to serve offline Wikipedia and an AI chat to every phone on its Wi-Fi, with no internet. Step-by-step Linux setup.
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Offline helper: put Wikipedia, first-aid help and an AI chat on a laptop
Load Wikipedia, a medical encyclopedia, repair guides and a local AI chat onto a laptop and a portable drive so they work with the internet off. Windows and Mac.
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