Guides
Short answers for the first hour
Seventeen short guides for the moment a card reader, your bank app or the power fails on you. If it lasts for days, the scenarios have the full plan.
Card readers down? What to do at the register
The card reader says offline. What to do at the register, how offline payments can post late, and how to check for double charges afterward.
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When your bank app or ATM is down
An outage alone doesn't mean your money is gone. What to check first, how to avoid outage scams, and handling bills and cash while your bank's systems are down.
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How much cash to keep at home
No magic number: a 10-minute way to work out yours, which bills to keep, and where to store them, plus a holiday and winter-storm check.
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Power bank vs power station
Which one you actually need for a multi-day outage, how to read watt-hours, how to estimate runtime, and why neither is a generator.
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How much water to store
The daily amount per person, a family-of-4 table, and how to store tap water at home.
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Backup power for an apartment
What a battery power station can and can't run, how to size it, and why fuel generators don't belong in apartments.
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Do you need a NOAA weather radio?
What NOAA Weather Radio is, why it doesn't need internet or cell service, and the features that matter: the weather band, SAME alerts, and power.
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No-cook meals for a power outage
What to eat first, how long the fridge and freezer keep food safe, and a 3-day plan that needs no stove.
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Power outage in winter
How to stay warm in one room, keep pipes from freezing, and avoid carbon monoxide when the power is out in the cold.
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Winter car emergency kit
What Ready.gov says to keep in your car in winter, what to do if you're stuck in snow, and what's worth buying.
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Ice storm power outage
Ice can cut power and phone service for days. A 24-hour checklist for before the storm, and how to stay safe after.
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Leaving home for the holidays
Going away this winter? What to do before you leave in case the power goes out, and what to pack for the trip.
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Holiday travel in a winter storm
Flying or riding home in a storm? What to check before you go and what to keep in your carry-on for delays.
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Emergency preparedness gift ideas
Practical prep gifts they'll actually use: light, power, a weather radio and a cash pouch. No fear kits.
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Power outage on Thanksgiving
A hosting plan for a full house when the power goes out: light, phone power, cash and a weather radio, plus what to do with the meal.
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How to charge your phone during a power outage
Keep your phone alive when the power is out: save battery first, then power banks, a crank radio and a power station. What's safe, and what to skip.
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Free planning guide (PDF)
A free 14-page PDF: what breaks in a multi-day outage, how to build a load list, and how to size backup power before you buy. No sign-up.
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In New York City, see outage prep for an NYC apartment.