Home & Power
Getting Your Home Ready for a Winter Storm
Ice, snow and deep cold can mean days at home with limited services. Prepare the house, the car and the household before the forecast turns.
Household preparedness, made manageable
Calm plans for the days that don’t go to plan.
Plain-English guides to water storage, emergency kits, power outages, family communication and more, written to help you get ready one manageable step at a time.
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Family Plans
Including Your Pets in Your Emergency Plan
Pets depend on you entirely during an emergency. A pet go-kit, current ID and a plan for where they can stay make a hard day easier for everyone.
Family Plans
Planning an Evacuation Before You Ever Need One
Knowing where you would go, how you would get there and what you would bring turns a hurried departure into steps you have already rehearsed.
Kits & Supplies
Stocking a Home First Aid Kit, and Knowing When to Call for Help
A well-organized kit and a little training go a long way. What to stock, how to keep it current, and where to learn the skills behind the supplies.
Home & Power
The First 24 Hours of a Power Outage: A Calm, Practical Plan
What to do in the first few minutes, how long refrigerated food stays safe, and how to use generators and portable power stations without creating new risks.
Family Plans
Your Family Emergency Communication Plan, Step by Step
Phone lines get busy and families end up in different places. A short written plan, an out-of-area contact and a weather radio help everyone stay connected.
Kits & Supplies
The Grab-and-Go Document File: What to Copy and Where to Keep It
After a fire, flood or quick evacuation, missing paperwork can slow everything down. One organized file of copies makes the next steps far easier.
Explore by topic
Water & Food
Storing water, building a pantry you will use, and keeping both fresh.
- Pantry Rotation Made Simple: An Emergency Food Supply You'll Actually Eat
- How Much Water Should Your Household Store? A Practical Plan
Kits & Supplies
Go-bags, first aid kits and the document file that speeds recovery.
- Stocking a Home First Aid Kit, and Knowing When to Call for Help
- The Grab-and-Go Document File: What to Copy and Where to Keep It
- Building a 72-Hour Kit Around the People in Your Home
Home & Power
Power outages, safe backup power and getting the house ready for winter.
- Getting Your Home Ready for a Winter Storm
- The First 24 Hours of a Power Outage: A Calm, Practical Plan
Family Plans
Staying connected, planning an evacuation and including your pets.
- Including Your Pets in Your Emergency Plan
- Planning an Evacuation Before You Ever Need One
- Your Family Emergency Communication Plan, Step by Step
About Prepared American
Ready, not worried.
Prepared American is an independent publication for everyday households. We turn widely published public guidance into calm, specific steps you can take this weekend: no fear, no politics and no sales pitches in our articles.