Your Preparation Timeline
Each decade brings different resources — and different limitations. Start where you are.
- You're still working — use that income now
- Invest in a whole-house generator or solar
- Home modifications while you're physically able
- Start a 30-day food and water rotation system
- Get your documents in order (medical, legal, financial)
- Build relationships with neighbors now
- Test everything you bought in your 50s — annually
- Reassess physical ability for operating equipment
- Add medication backup systems and cold storage
- Connect with local emergency networks
- Review insurance and Medicare coverage gaps
- Teach family members your systems
- Low-physical-effort solutions only
- Community and family networks are your lifeline
- Pre-register with your county's special needs registry
- Ultra-simple tools: hand-crank radio, battery lanterns
- Know your evacuation triggers and routes in advance
- Medical: CPAP backup power, insulin cold storage
Who This Guide Is For
Homeowners
Permanent modifications, whole-home systems, generator installs, solar, structural upgrades.
Renters
No-drill solutions, portable power, tenant rights, what landlords must allow by law.
Multi-Gen Households
Adult kids moving back in, parents moving in with children — crowded homes during crisis.
Medical Needs
CPAP, oxygen, dialysis, insulin, mobility equipment — power loss is a medical emergency.
Pets & Animals
Evacuation plans that include your animals. Sheltering-in-place with pets during outages.
Fixed Incomes
Low-cost and free preparation steps that make a real difference when budget is tight.
What We Cover
⚡ Power & Generators
Whole-home standby, portable inverter generators, solar systems, battery banks. What size do you actually need?
💧 Water Storage & Purification
How much water you need per person per day. Storage tanks, filtration, hand-pump wells.
🥫 Food & Cooking Without Power
Propane, camp stoves, rocket stoves, canning, freeze-dry. 30-day rotation systems.
🌡️ Heat & Cooling Solutions
Surviving winter blackouts and summer heat waves. Passive and powered options.
🏥 Medical Equipment Backup
CPAP, oxygen concentrators, insulin storage, dialysis coordination. Power-loss planning.
🧠 Memory & Mobility Challenges
Dementia-safe environments during outages. Mobility equipment and accessible solutions.
🏘️ Multi-Generational Living
Crowded homes, shared resources, privacy, conflict resolution during extended outages.
🔑 Renter's Preparedness Rights
Fair Housing Act accommodations, what landlords must allow, no-drill portable solutions.
🚿 Sanitation Without Running Water
Toilet solutions, hand hygiene, waste disposal. Post-pandemic lessons applied.
Preparation Is Different by State
Florida hurricanes, California wildfires, Texas ice storms, Northeast blizzards — your plan has to match your region.
Free Preparedness Calculators
Enter your household details — get personalized numbers, not guesses.
🔌 Generator Size Calculator
How many watts do you actually need? Enter your appliances and get a real number.
⛽ Propane Use Calculator
How long will your tank last? Cooking, heating, generator run time.
💧 Water Storage Calculator
Gallons needed per person per day. Drinking, cooking, hygiene, pets.
🌡️ Heat Risk Calculator
Is your home safe without AC? Factors in age, health conditions, insulation.