Natural Disasters

AAA handles 7 million winter rescue calls yearly—most from unprepared drivers. Build a kit that keeps you safe when snow turns dangerous.

Most winter storm deaths happen during evacuation, not sheltering in place. This checklist helps you evacuate safely when seconds count.

Running your engine continuously in a snowstorm can kill you faster than the cold. Essential strategies for surviving when your car becomes your shelter.

Your battery loses 50% cranking power at 0°F while your engine demands twice the energy. Strategic testing and maintenance prevent dead-battery mornings.

Most backup power plans fail within the first 12 hours. Build a winter outage strategy that works through multi-day blackouts when temperatures plummet.

70% of winter weather deaths happen in vehicles, not outdoors. Build the preparation system that keeps your family alive when stranded.

Most hypothermia deaths happen indoors, not outside. Avoid the ten critical heating, water, and safety mistakes that turn winter storms deadly.

Most households have less than 24 hours of drinkable water stored. This guide shows exactly how much you need and the smartest ways to store it.

Your refrigerator becomes a ticking clock the moment power fails. Learn the critical 4-hour window and science-backed strategies to protect your family's food supply.

Wildfire smoke harms you indoors, miles from flames. Protect your family with air quality monitoring, filtration strategies, and emergency breathing protection.

Cell networks fail within hours of severe winter storms, leaving families separated and anxious. Simple backup plans reconnect you when smartphones go dark.

Most power outages last under 4 hours, yet most people prepare for the wrong scenario. This guide shows what actually keeps families safe and comfortable.

Most backup heating systems are oversized by 40%. Calculate your actual BTU requirements using zone heating principles that cut costs without sacrificing safety.

Most air purifiers fail during wildfire smoke because they're undersized. Calculate the exact capacity your space needs to maintain safe indoor air quality.

Most homes ignite from embers, not flames—yet homeowners protect against the wrong threat. Learn the defense strategies that actually stop wildfires.

Standing furniture killed more people than collapsed walls in the Northridge earthquake. Practical anchoring methods that prevent toppling during seismic events.

Most homes lost to wildfires had defensible space—but it was done wrong. This step-by-step guide shows the critical differences that actually protect your property.

Most homeowners enter too soon after earthquakes, risking injury from aftershocks. This guide prioritizes your safety while systematically assessing structural damage.

Your municipal water can fail even when pipes don't freeze. A friendly guide to storing emergency water before winter storms hit.

Most winter backup plans fail in the first six hours. Compare generators against power stations using real capacity math, runtime data, and cold-weather performance metrics.

Most emergency lights fail when you need them most. Compare battery, solar, and alternative options to find reliable solutions that actually work during outages.

Some homes survived the Caldor Fire while neighbors burned. The difference: strategically placed fire-resistant plants creating defensible space that actually works.

Most people waste 12 of their 15 evacuation minutes deciding what to grab. This step-by-step checklist eliminates the guesswork and panic.

Earthquakes strike all 50 states, not just California. Emergency responders may take days to reach you—here's what you actually need to survive independently.

Doorways aren't safe during earthquakes—that's outdated advice. Find the 10 spots in your home that actually protect you when shaking starts.

Most earthquake injuries happen at home from falling objects, not collapsed buildings. This room-by-room guide shows you exactly what to secure first.

Six inches of moving water can knock you down. One foot can sweep away your SUV. Learn what actually protects your family during floods.

70% of winter storm deaths happen in vehicles, not homes. Learn the preparation steps that keep your family safe when weather turns dangerous.

Most families store barely 12 hours of emergency water. This calculator shows exactly how much your household actually needs—and where to keep it.

Frozen pipes cause $5 billion in damage annually, yet most homeowners miss the simple prevention steps. Protect your home before temperatures drop.

Most people's winter emergency plans fail within the first two hours of a power outage. This checklist covers the survival essentials you actually need.