Most first aid kits are built for an average adult. Your family isn't average. Here's how to build kits for the people who depend on you, and keep them ready.

When the power goes out, it takes more than the lights with it. Here's what stops working, your backup power options, and what to power first.

Before you spend thousands on backup power, start small. Here's what a small power station can really run, and how to test it before you need it.

How big a power station do you really need to keep the fridge cold and the phones charged? Here's the simple math, and how long the big ones actually last.

A full freezer is hundreds of dollars of food on a timer. Here's how to keep the fridge running when the power goes out, and how long your food stays safe if it can't.

Most people think their rooftop solar will keep the lights on in a blackout. Usually it won't. Here's how to recharge your backup power with the sun, the right way.

A home battery can keep the lights on without a sound or a drop of fuel. But it isn't cheap. Here's what it costs, how many you need, and whether it's right for your family.

Nearly 100 Americans die every year from carbon monoxide from portable generators. Here are the rules that save lives, plus how to choose, fuel, and connect the right generator for your home.

Gear doesn't keep your family safe in a blackout. A plan does. Here's what to do in the first 30 minutes, the first 24 hours, and beyond, and who in your family does what.

Your phone is your whole communication plan, until it isn't. Here's how emergency communication really fails, and how to build simple layers so your family can still reach each other.

When disaster hits, your family probably won't be together. Here's how to build a simple plan so everyone knows how to reach each other, and where to go if they can't.

The phone in your pocket can do more in an emergency than most people realize, if you set it up ahead of time. Here's what it can do, what it can't, and how to get it ready.

When the cell towers go quiet, your phone may not be enough. Here's how satellite messengers, satellite phones, PLBs, and cell-based radios compare, and which one fits your family.

Walkie-talkies work when the cell towers, satellites, and internet don't. Here's what FRS, GMRS, and CB really mean, how far they really reach, and how to build a simple family radio plan.

When the cell towers, internet, and power all go down, ham radio keeps working. Here's how it works, how to get licensed, and how to plug into the people who run emergency communications in your town.

A scanner lets you hear what first responders are dealing with in real time, often before it hits the news. Here's what you can still hear, how to choose one, and the laws to know.

Alerts only help if you notice them and know what to do. Here's how to build a layered weather alert system, beat alert fatigue, and act fast when minutes count.

911 doesn't work everywhere, your phone may not either, and some satellite devices can get you arrested. Here's how to stay connected and reachable when your family travels abroad.

A plan nobody has practiced is just a piece of paper. Here's a simple schedule, four family drills, and a battery plan that keep your communication plan ready to work.