Most outages last a couple of hours, but major storms can mean days without power. Here is what federal data shows and three simple plans matched to each kind of outage.
A full freezer keeps food safe for about 48 hours without power, and a half-full one for about 24. Here is how to stretch that time and exactly what you can refreeze.
USDA guidance on canned food shelf life, what the dates really mean, when a dented, rusted or bulging can should go in the trash, and how canned food compares to long-shelf-life emergency food.
Water purification tablets are cheap and light, but they don’t remove chemicals. Here is how chlorine dioxide, iodine and chlorine compare, and when a gravity filter wins.
A simple trunk kit can turn a night stuck in the snow from dangerous to merely uncomfortable. Here is what to pack and what to do if you get stranded.
The military rates MREs for about three years at 80°F and six months at 100°F. Here is how to read the date code, spot a bad pouch and make them last.
Earthquakes give you seconds, not days. Here is where each part of your survival kit should live, what goes in it, and how to use it in the first 72 hours.
Ice storms bring down trees and power lines and can leave homes dark for days. Here is how to prepare your home, your power and your family.
The right generator for power outage backup depends on what you need to keep running. Here is how to size one, gas vs. battery, and the safety rules that matter.
An indoor propane heater can keep a room warm during a winter outage, if it is rated for indoor use and you follow a few rules. Here is what safety officials recommend.