Anyone who lives in an area where snowstorms are common knows just how dangerous they can be. Even worse, just how dangerous it can be to drive in them. The combination of slick roads and reduced visibility can make it fairly easy to find yourself sliding off the road into a ditch. This danger is even greater for those who are not accustomed to driving in those conditions, as they don’t have the instinctive reactions for what to do when their car starts sliding.

I’ve seen plenty of cases where cars and trucks went off the road. I remember driving in conditions where visibility made finding the road was more a matter of guesswork than anything else. I’ve seen semis on mountain roads that started lost traction and started rolling backwards, right off the edge of the highway. Fortunately, the drivers were able to leap out, before their trucks went over the edge.

So, just how do you handle such a situation? What do you do, if you’re the one who’s car went off the road and you’re now stuck in a snowbank? I don’t mean just a little bit stuck; but really stuck. Making that worse, let’s say it’s nighttime and there’s not a lot of traffic. You’re not likely to see a tow truck showing up to get you out in the next 15 minutes type of stuck.

Obviously, the first thing you’re going to try and do is get your car or truck unstuck. That’s a natural reaction and sometimes it even works. The real trick is recognizing when your attempts aren’t working and you need to quit trying.

Should that happen and you’re out in the country, the thing to do is assume you’re going to be there a while, perhaps even overnight. With that in mind, your being stuck has just turned into a survival situation and needs to be treated as such. A cold night in the midst of a blizzard is a great opportunity for hypothermia to set in. That’s not something to trifle with.

Before Leaving Home

Surviving such a scenario, like surviving most scenarios, depends a lot on your preparation. You can’t expect to go driving around in the wintertime, in nothing but a light jacket, and be comfortable, let alone survive. Considering the risks associated with cold weather and storms, having the right survival gear with you is essential. There’s really not much you need; but what’s on this list is critical.

• Rescue blankets – have at least 3, but more is better
• Blanket – at least one per person
• Duct tape
• Plastic bags
• Roll of toilet paper
• Candles or something else that will generate heat, without depending on the car
• Flashlight, with extra batteries
• Rope (paracord will do)
• High energy snack foods
• Water (in the passenger compartment, not the trunk)
• Automotive phone charger

In addition to putting these things in the car, you should always dress warmly, with a good coat, hat, scarf, and gloves. Too many people, especially women, wear coats that are more about style than warmth. Those are fine when you know you’ll be indoors; but I wouldn’t recommend traveling in them. If there’s a reason to have that stylish jacket, then bring along a warm winter coat as well.

The other thing to do before leaving home is to let someone know where you are going and when you expect to arrive. Upon arriving at your destination, call or text that same person and let them know you’ve arrived safely. If you don’t call, they need to call the police or state patrol and let them know that you haven’t shown up when and where you were expected to. They are used to receiving calls like that during blizzards and will appreciate it. They should be prepared with the following information:

• Your name and a description
• Your vehicle type and color
• The time you left
• Your intended route

From the viewpoint of the police, this information is invaluable. It’s always better to find someone before they freeze to death, than to be too late. Knowing that someone is out there and about where they might be will help them look for that person’s vehicle.

While You’re Driving

Obviously, you’re going to want to drive carefully when traveling in any winter weather. Roads can ice up, in a condition known as “black ice” without you even seeing ice on them. You can travel from a place where everything is safe, to one where the roads are slick and impassible in a matter of minutes. You might not even be the one who has a problem; but rather another driver does, losing control of their car and running into yours.

Always be sure to keep your gas tank at least half full when driving in the winter. Not only does the extra weight provided by that gas help you maintain better control of your vehicle (especially if it is rear-wheel-drive), but it provides you with fuel to burn for warmth, should you get stuck. It doesn’t cost any more to keep the top half of your tank full, than it costs to keep the bottom half full.

You should also keep track of where you are, noting mile markers, exit number and landmarks that you can pass on to the authorities, if you get stuck and have to call for help. The more accurately you can pinpoint your location for them, the faster they will find you.

When You Realize You’re Stuck

Once you realize you’re stuck and that you’re going to be there a while, awaiting rescue, the first thing you should do is try calling for help. Calling 9-1-1 is more effective than calling your friend, as they’re connected to the necessary agents to get help heading your way. If you don’t have enough signal for a call, try texting, as text messages don’t require as much bandwidth as a phone call does. Sometimes, you can get a text message through, when you can’t get a call through. Sixteen of the states now have the text-to-9-1-1 option in place.

In most cases, the longest you’ll have to spend in your car is overnight, as all our highways and county roads are patrolled daily. Law enforcement officers know how that cars tend to go off the road in snowstorms and are always alert, looking for them. They may not see you at night; but they definitely will once the sun rises.

What Not to Do

Before going any further, let’s talk about a few things you don’t want to do, as they will just make the situation more dangerous for you.

• Don’t bother trying to dig your car out, as you probably can’t.
• Don’t get out of your car, unless absolutely necessary. Not only does your car provide you with shelter, but it is also much easier for rescuers to see, than trying to spot a person trudging though the snow.
• Don’t run your engine full-time, as you will run out of gasoline quickly. Rather, run it off and on fifteen minutes at a time. Turn the heater on full-blast while it is on, to get the most possible heat out of it. While different sized engines burn different amounts of fuel, the average is about one-half gallon per hour while idling.
• Don’t use your car’s electrical system for anything that isn’t absolutely necessary. Cold is hard on batteries as it is and running your engine intermittently probably isn’t going to be enough to fully recharge your battery.

What to Do

Your biggest concern while waiting for rescue, is keeping warm. That’s why you don’t want to leave your car. But cars aren’t well insulated, making it hard to keep warm in a car. Still, you’re better off inside the car than outside.

So, the thing to do is to improve your ability to stay warm inside the car. That’s what the survival gear I mentioned above is all about. Start by using the duct tape to tape rescue blankets over the “walls” and ceiling of the passenger compartment. If you are alone or there are just two of you in the vehicle, you can make a curtain of one of those blankets, just behind the front seats, which will make the area you need to keep warm smaller. Cut the blankets if needed, so that you can cover the maximum surface area.

Rescue blankets don’t provide insulation; they’re just heat reflectors. That’s important, but that’s also why I recommended having regular blankets to wrap yourself in. The rescue blankets will help keep the heat from escaping from your car, but you also need insulation to keep you warm.

If you have candles, lighting them will provide you with some minimal heat, as well as light. You’d be surprised just how much heat you can get out of a couple of candles. Your car won’t be warm; but they’ll go a long way to cut the chill. As I mentioned above, you can use your car heater; as long as you run it and the engine intermittently.

To avoid going outside, use the plastic bags as a porta-potty. That’s a bit tricky, but it will help keep you warm. Tie the bags shut, once they’ve been used and either set them on the floor in the back of the car or open the door just far enough to set them outside.

You can use your headlights to signal any oncoming traffic, flashing them off and on a couple of times. This is enough to attract attention to the fact that what might look like a snowbank is actually a car and that there is someone in that car. While not everyone will respond, some people will and emergency personnel definitely will. Your flashlight can be used in the same way, when people are closer.

Finally, if you have to go out of the vehicle for any reason, tie one end of the rope to the steering wheel and the other end either to your wrist or your beltloop. A gust of wind can knock you off your feet or turn you around, so that you don’t know which way the car is anymore. With that rope tied to you and the car, you always have a lifeline to lead you back to the shelter of your car.

The best preparation for tomorrow is doing something today.

When we’ll have no running water, no extra food, no electricity… then we’ll truly understand this old saying… the hard way. Or we can make sure that our houses offer a decent level of protection.

Install a Rain Water Collector or a Rain Filter Barrel

You may choose to store water for gardening or for drinking. For gardening, rainwater is, naturally, best unfiltered. But, for household use, you can make an easy auto-filter using a barrel.

The filter may be set in the cellar and used only for drinking water. Or it may be used in time of drought for filtering stagnant water, which would otherwise be unpalatable, for the use of stock.

This will stop you having to spend more money time and energy into a filtration system.

Build a Can Storage Rotation System

Verify the self-life of your canned goods on a regular basis and learn how to tell when your canned goods become spoiled.

You can verify your canned goods even easier with a can rotator and you’ll always make sure you’re opening the first one to expire (first can in the column – easy).

A can rotator is also a space saver, especially those hanged on the wall.

Disorganization is one of the most common mistakes the new prepper makes. A lack of a real rotation system means the oldest can on hand may not be the first to be use. There are a lot of other woodworking projects that may help you prep a lot more efficient.

Start a Home Defense Plan Including Some Smart Protection Systems

It is generally believed that a good defense position can hold against an enemy with 10 times the numbers of the defender. (same guns)

Being a single person defending a house, you should have this goal in mind: to withstand the attack of 10 armed street-smart looters. I’m saying “street-smart” because they’ll probably also have a plan… they may surround your house… or maybe they’ll attack at night or when you least expect it… or maybe they’ll set your house on fire, etc.

Without a good defense plan, you’re doomed!

When setting up your home defenses keep in mind the military term OCOKA which stands for:

1. Observation and fields of fire
2. Cover and Concealment
3. Obstacles
4. Key Terrain
5. Avenues of Approach

Following these five key principles, you will greatly improve your security and survivability. This is one of the things that I’ve learned from a well-known army officer vet Steve Walker, for whom I have all the respect in the world. Watch his video and learn some fast-tips about protecting your home in time of war or social chaos.

Get Seeds From Your Plants

This is a very important technique that needs to be honed and is essential to the continued survival of your plants and garden.  Seed collection varies from plant to plant and type of edible vegetable.  For example there will be differences in how you preserve and collect seeds from tomatoes, sweet pepper or wheat.

There are too many things to say on this subject. There are a few good articles on the internet if you are interested in post-apocalyptic gardening; no science fiction, just self-sufficiency.

Most of these things can be learned only by reading and practicing. Most of the times reading alone is not enough.

Get to Know Your Neighbors

At the best of times this is a good idea, but of course this will be useful in terms of if you both have skills that can be beneficial to you both (maybe he’s a Medic or a Marine).

Most of the times your neighbor is your friend. In case of a crisis you can start a small community based on mutual interest. Maybe you won’t have to defend your house 360 degrees.

Plus… when it’ll be no hyper active police, and when you’ll be outnumbered… it’s nice to have a “close” friend (literally) ready to help you.

Don’t think he’ll help you? If he’s smart, he’ll better help you… because he’ll be next anyway. In my opinion the community is the key to survival.

Drill a Well or Install a Water Storage Tank

A “prepper house” should draw water from its own well rather than relying on a city water system.

You should make sure to fill up empty clear containers with drinkable water by whichever filtration or purification system works for you (including the barrel filter).  For example something like a Brita system or boiling/distilling.  In essence he water ready at any time as it is singularly the most important resource that is necessary to promote survival.

Don’t want to drill a wheel? Check out the H2O Dynamo – a device that produces water for your home (and also has a water storage tank).

Build a Root Cellar

If you don’t have a root cellar yet, then you should consider building one.

Root-cellaring is a saving technique for ordinary winter storage of fresh, raw, whole vegetables and fruits that have not been processed to increase their keeping quality.

The root cellar is a way to hold these foods for several months after their normal harvest in a cold, rather moist environment that does not allow them to freeze or to complete their natural cycle to decomposition in the fall.

Understand the elements that make up a Root Cellar which circle around Humidity, Ventilation and temperature.  If these element are adhered to, a root cellar can be built by using any viable technique.

There are a variety of building materials that can be used that include stone, concrete cinder blocks, logs and so on.

But recently I’ve discovered an even easier method using earth-bags (and cheaper). If you use earth-bags, please tie them together very tight with barbwire between bags.

Secure Your Living Space From Natural Disasters

Depending on where you’re living you may want to consider implementing some level of protection against hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, wildfires or floods.

Making sure that tables and sofa’s etc. are nailed down so as to protect the larger objects in the home from damage and from damaging people around them.  Making sure that loose objects such as paining’s or vases and similar objects are secured to the best of your ability without making them too much of an eyesore. If you don’t already have one, buy a fire extinguisher.

A secondary stocking space in case your first is compromised. Example: a flood may compromise your supplies in the root cellar, but not the ones in the rooftop.

Make a Faraday Cage

Some people talk about EMP’s like they were talking about science fiction. They look at me like I’m crazy.

Well if I’m nuts, then why does the Army prepares for this? Recently, NORAD has moved its communication equipment back to its nuclear Cold War-era bunker under the Cheyenne Mountain because this base is EMP hardened.

To avoid a total collapse every American should have some EMP hardened equipment or at least a Faraday Cage to protect the most important survival electronics. Here are some Faraday cages that you an make at home… and the most important electronics that you should keep safe, in the cage.

Make Room in Your Garage to Store Gas

Another essential is to keep a few gallons of gasoline in the garage or anywhere away from the house and from the sun.

You’ll power a generator or your car… either way, fuel is an INVESTMENT! Gas price will rise for sure.

Just make sure that the container is safe for this and that it keeps the gas airtight.  For example plastic containers that seal well are always good ideas.

Install a Back Up Power Source

The mechanism that you want to install depends on where you live. You can use solar, wind, water power or a generator.

Don’t know what’s financially best for you? Read this article and find out.

If you can use solar panels for part or all of your electrical needs it would go a long way towards making you completely self-sufficient and living with a sufficient amount of comforts in the form off electricity.

With sparing use it is possible to live completely off of solar energy but more than likely it will be a combination of eatery and solar power that will allow you to operate your electrical equipment.

Build a Hideout For Your Valuables or For Your Family

Cash and gold are a good idea to have but it is necessary to ensure that these items area safe.  Make sure that valuables are in a safe or a storage facility that is difficult to reach into as these items while trying to survive become ever more important.

If you have a useless space in your house, you may want to turn it into a super hideout (see picture).

If your family has a food storage of 2 months or more, you might want to consider the potential risks associated with others knowing about it.

Or the safe room could be your root cellar. The weak point on that structure would be the ventilation system. In order to conceal your root cellar, you’ll probably need to hide your exit pipe or to extend your ventilation system up through the walls of your house and to the roof, thus appearing as part of your house’s vents and pipes, hiding in plain sight.

Build a Medical Survival Kit

First Aid Kits are one of those preparedness items that people often neglect. Unfortunately, they don’t seem to get the same attention that things like survival knives, guns and bug out bags get (Source). But if you think about it, in a crisis… diseases are the no 1 killer.

Antibiotics, penicillin and a few other essentials like iodine, gauzes and bandages will go a long way to ensure that inevitable accidents or simple colds do not become fatal.

Splints, scissors and painkillers would also be of good use as one never know what sort of ailments or accidents will happen in the course of survival.

Build a Fireplace

Why? Just so you can provide heat in a low-tech fashion, and because you don’t want to rely entirely on fuel, grid or other generators that may fail in a crisis.

Instead, anybody can cut and burn woods… just like our ancestors did.

Plus… it also provides light in one room.

Plus… you can cook in-house when there’ll be no electricity.

Plus … it’s a cool place to sit by in the winter.

Start a Small Medicinal Garden

Wouldn’t it be nice if you could walk out into your backyard and find the medicine you need growing right there, ready to be picked and used to treat someone in your family?

A few days ago I made a 72 square-feet medicinal garden plan (see picture) that you might want to see.

All plants have different therapeutic actions, such as anti-inflammatory, fighting fever, for heart failure, a sedative, etc… basically for anything.

Preserve Part of The Food That You Produce

Drying, cooling, freezing, salting, smoking, pickling, canning… you have a lot of methods to choose from.

Recently drying has become more popular, but let’s not forget about a few old methods like burring food in a barrel (see picture) or turning meat into Pemmican balls.

If you have a dehydrator, you are likely already putting it to work making dried eggs, fruits, meat, etc.

Isn’t it nice when you know how what goes into your food? Maybe more importantly what doesn’t go into it, such as chemicals.

Insulate Your Attic and Turn It Into a Place To Keep Supplies

More heating and cooling goes through the roof in most improperly insulated homes than you’d think!

An efficient exhaust venting at the top of the roof (see picture) will remove the warm air in summer keeping a cool, dry and dark… just perfect for storing supplies.

And in winter it reduces the humidity by stopping the condense on inner walls (caused by the snow on the roof). Here are two pictures that explain this better than me: in the summer and in the winter.

Generally, a well insulated house will  reduce reliance on both air conditioning and heating systems.

Plus… poor insulation can cause your power bill to be higher than it needs to be, so taking the time to ensure your home is properly insulated can save you some money. Think of this as an investment. Yes you’ll spend a few bucks today, but on the long run you’ll get them back and make a profit. Seal all air leaks… especially in autumn, just before winter. You can also install door sweeps.

Some nuclear events are survivable.

Much depends on the type of event and your proximity to ground zero. Event possibilities range from dirty bombs that may distribute radiation over a small area, to nuclear accidents and nuclear weapon detonation that create large amounts of destruction and contamination. Your first goal is to avoid nuclear fallout, so you should take shelter immediately following a nuclear event. Then, you must mitigate the exposure that you do receive. Stay informed of local recommendations for your area, but be aware that your local news reporting may be designed to prevent mass panic, rather than give the best advice.

Harmful Effects of Radiation Exposure

The harmful effects of radiation exposure are many and varied. Some effects go unnoticed, only to cause cancers months or years later.

Before exposure and immediately after exposure, you should act quickly to prevent absorption and remove radioactive substances from the body. There are a number of supplements and compounds that can help you detoxify and prevent damage. Each acts differently and some, like Iodine, are specific to only one radioisotope, so plan to use all of these methods, or as many as possible, for best results.

The Law of Selective Uptake

One important principle in protecting the body from the absorption of nuclear isotopes is the law of selective uptake. Reduced to bare bones, it means that radioactive isotopes look like nutrients to the body, so if the body is deficient, it will grab hold of the isotope and use it in the body. You can prevent this absorption by taking extra doses of the nutrients. Iodine supplements protect against iodine-131, cesium-137 mimics potassium in the body, strontium-90 mimics calcium, Plutonium-239 mimics iron, and cobalt-60 mimics vitamin B-12. Your first line of defense it to be nutritionally sound and take supplements for these minerals or vitamin when exposure is imminent or immediately following exposure.

We’ll talk about these supplements in more detail below:

#1. Iodine

A nuclear or radiological event can release large amounts of Iodine-131 into the atmosphere. This radioactive iodine is quickly absorbed by the thyroid creating problems for the body immediately or even years later.

Researchers investigating the Chernobyl nuclear accident found that potassium Iodide reduced thyroid exposure to radiation with minimal side effects. Taking a dose of potassium Iodide or nascent iodine before the event or immediately after can fill the iodine receptors on the thyroid and prevent absorption of radioactive Iodine-131. Nascent iodine is the most bioavailable form of iodine for this purpose, but potassium iodide (KI) is often recommended as well. One dose protects the body for 24 hours. If exposure is ongoing, daily doses will be needed, follow the recommendations of local authorities.

#2. Potassium

Potassium supplements protect the body from exposure to Cesium-137, another radioactive isotope that is commonly found in the environment following a nuclear event. Since cesium-137 mimics potassium in the body, immediate doses saturate the body with potassium and prevent absorption of cesium-137. Rich potassium sources in the diet is a good first line of defense, but it may not be enough. Potassium Orotate is the best form of potassium supplements to use for radiation exposure. Follow dosing guidelines on the product you choose, since too much potassium can have ill effects.

#3. Calcium and Magnesium

Calcium and magnesium protect the body from absorbing Strontium-90. Supplementing with these nutrients has been proven to reduce strontium-90 absorption by up to 90 percent. As mentioned earlier strontium-90 mimics calcium, but these two minerals work together and need to be balanced, so for best results take daily supplements of both of these minerals.

#4. Iron

Some women take iron on a regular basis, but most men do not need regular supplementation. However, in a nuclear event, iron supplements can prevent the uptake of Plutonium-239. Take a daily iron supplement during exposure, but consult a physician about long term use.

#5. Vitamin B-12

A fast absorbing vitamin B-12 supplement, such as Methylcobalamin can protect the body from exposure to cobalt-60. Cobalt-60​ is a product of nuclear reactors, so exposure could come from an accident at a nuclear reactor. It is also used in radiation therapy and could come from a spill or a dirty bomb. Take vitamin B-12 daily, following the label recommendations.

#6. Dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO)

Dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) is a controversial sulfur compound that has been shown to actively detoxify the body and protect against the harmful effects of radiation. Animal studies show that DMSO protects DNA from breakage due to radiation exposure and guards against cell destruction. A Japanese study showed that even low doses of DMSO provide protection against radiation damage at a cellular level and can facilitate DNA repair. More research into DMSO is needed, but so far the results are promising. The FDA has not approved it’s use except for preservation of transplant organs and for cases of interstitial cystitis. If you choose to use DMSO, look for pure sources containing no other solvents, except possibly a small amount of water.

#7. Zeolite Clay

Zeolites clean the body of toxins and radioactive particles in the same way they clean the environment. Their porous structure and affinity for positive ions allow them to bind toxins and nuclear waste to them and remove them as they pass through the body. Zeolite Clay can be safely taken internally and was widely used for detoxification at Chernobyl. In addition to detoxifying the body, it is useful in removing nuclear contamination from the environment and can be used to mop floors and clean walls in contaminated areas.

#8. Other Clays

Bentonite, Fuller’s Earth, Kaolin, red clay, French Green Clay, and other clays are also effective at binding nuclear waste and removing it from the body.  Clay particles are negatively charged, so positively charged radioactive ions are attracted to them. They can be taken internally or used to scrub down the body to remove external contamination. Clay’s are considered safe to consume, but be sure to purchase a pure, food grade clay.

#9. Activated Charcoal

Activated charcoal is useful for absorbing and neutralizing a number of poisons and toxins, including radiation. Studies show that activated charcoal is able to neutralize up to 70 percent of its weight in radioactive toxins. Other uses for activated charcoal include: natural remedy for dental infections, kidneys infections, ear infections, lowers blood pressures, water purifier and many more.

#10. Papain

Papain is a natural enzyme found in papaya fruit and known for its ability to reduce toxins. Studies in mice show that it helps exposed mice survive lethal radiation doses. Early research suggests that papain reduces skin reactions and other side effects following radiation therapy.

#11. Bee Pollen

Recent studies suggest that bee pollen is effective in preventing and relieving the negative effects of radiation therapies by boosting the body’s defenses and supporting natural functions and it could provide these same benefits after a nuclear event.

#12. Beets

Beets are excellent sources of antioxidants, which can help protect the body from the stresses of radiation exposure. They also help the body rebuild hemoglobin broken down as a result of exposure. Animal studies show that rats eating a diet heavy in beets had less effects after exposure to cesium-137. They were able to absorb and detoxify up to twice the radiation dose of the control group.

#13. Cold-pressed Organic Vegetable Oils

Olive oil, coconut oil, sesame oil and other healthy oils offer some protection during and after radiation exposure. Lipids in the oils offer protection to individual cells, lining the cell membrane and binding toxins before they can cause cell damage. Animal studies show that mice fed oil are protected from doses of x-rays ranging from 300 to 2,400 roentgens and can survive lethal doses. The recommendation is to drink ½ cup of oil as soon as possible after exposure.

#14. Organic Germanium-132

Organic Germanium-132 is an ultra-modern mineral that increases oxygenation of the cells, supports the immune system and helps the body get rid of toxins, including radiation. Recent studies in the US and Japan have been experimenting with doses of 500 to 1000 mg per day for various medical conditions, but current recommendations in Japan are that exposed individuals take 100 mg daily of Organic Germanium-132.

It is important to note that only organic germanium is recommended here. Inorganic germanium is highly toxic. In minerals, the term organic has a different meaning than in food and inorganic germanium is a completely different compound.

#15. Prussian Blue

Prussian Blue, also known as ferric ferrocyanide, is useful as an antidote for Cesium-137 when the radioactive isotope has been ingested. In the Brazilian Goiânia incident, researchers found that treatment with up to 10 grams of Prussian Blue daily removed up to 70 percent of the Cesium-137 from the body and reduced it’s effects accordingly. This is an experimental antidote for use only in cases of known exposure to cesium-137.

#16. Organic Brewers Yeast

Some sources recommend organic Brewers yeast for preventing the effects of radiation and helping the body repair after exposure. Give 5 to 15 mg to children and 25 to 50 mg to adults. For cases of known exposure, this dose can be safely doubled or even tripled.

Other Recommendations

During and following a nuclear event, nutrition and general health are vitally important. Eating fruits and vegetables containing high amounts of antioxidants will help protect the body from the harmful effects of radiation. Obviously, do not consume plants that have been exposed to fallout or grown in contaminated soil, but frozen, dried, freeze-dried and safe fresh produce are healthy and give the body systems a boost.

For best results, each of these remedies should be begun immediately upon a nuclear event or exposure. Preparation is key. You should have these ingredients on hand before an event along with instructions on how to use them.

You can ask any prepper what they are most worried about, what they are most concerned with preparing for, and chances are they will respond what’s an answer about some kind of natural disaster.

That is with good reason: natural disasters are one of those things that we just cannot stop.

We can forestall or avoid completely threats arriving in the form of man or beast, or avoid entirely harm resulting from an accident due to our own lack of skill, attention or negligence.

Natural disasters are acts of God. They will occur and continue to occur with or without your consent and no matter how good you are. All we can do is hope we can get out of the way in time or survive them if we can’t.

Natural disasters take many forms, from the slow-to-arrive but regionally devastating hurricane to the seemingly never-ending, frozen onslaught of a blizzard.

All of those events occur with almost no warning at all, or with very little warning, as do volcanic eruptions and tsunamis.

Considering how common and how regularly natural disasters take place compared to more exotic SHTF scenarios, you’d be foolish to omit preparing for them.

Getting prepared and staying ready to handle all of the above should soak up a significant amount of any given prepper’s planning, training and purchasing.

There is a lot to learn and do. Fortunately, today’s article will be your jumpstart survival guide to help you prepare for all of them.

Big or Small, Prepare for Them All

While I’m talking about natural disasters in the context of this article, I’m not just talking about region- or nationwide mega-disasters that will completely change the course of history or even the world.

While such globe-spanning cataclysms can and have occurred in the past, most of them are so fantastically unlikely to occur during your lifetime they barely fit into the realm of real life.

Furthermore, you don’t have to be facing a disaster on such a titanic scale for your life to be completely, literally turned upside down.

Ask any survivor who decided to ride out the monster hurricane what their life was like before, during and after such a severe storm passed directly over their town and area.

It will likely sound similar to the tale given to you by the survivor of an EF5 tornado that effaced their home and city from the map.

Most of us who only hear about wildfires on the news will likely spare little thought toward what it must be like preparing for and fleeing from one that is about to consume our neighborhood.

The point I mean to make is that everyday, common disasters are more than enough for most of us to deal with. And deal with them we will have to, one way or the other. If we are very lucky, or very fast to act, we might simply be able to get out of the way.

Though you might have to pick up the pieces of your home and life later, you have to be alive in order to do so. With certain, sudden kinds of disasters or if the circumstances simply do not favor us, you may not be able to evade in time, and you’ll have to ride the ride, and deal with what comes.

In that case, knowing what to do, having a well-drilled plan for you and yours, and keeping the right survival supplies close at hand could make all the difference in your chances.

Stay or Go?

One of the fundamental choices you’ll have to make when it comes to dealing with any natural disaster is whether you will try to bug-out and get out of its way or will shelter in place and potentially be prepared to bug-in for the long haul.

Assuming, of course, that you do have time enough to make that decision…

In our modern era, you will reliably be able to make that choice pretty much every time they occur.

Take hurricanes, for instance. Thanks to satellites, meteorological radar, storm-chasing planes, and all the other accoutrements of an incredibly intricate weather early-warning system,

You will often know days and potentially even a week or more ahead of time when a hurricane is heading for your state or your area.

That means the choice is on you if you want to evacuate ahead of time, potentially wasting resources, time and money if the hurricane peters out, or stay in place, risking a direct or near-direct hit and potential catastrophe if the storm grows very powerful prior to landfall.

In another scenario, a powerful system of thunderstorms rolling across your state will at least let you know ahead of time that a tornado is possible, if not probable, allowing you to get one step ahead in case a powerful twister does form.

On the other hand, some freak storm systems can intensify rapidly, rapidly enough to spawn tornadoes that turn out to be extremely destructive with virtually no prior notice.

This is a situation where you may be afforded enough time to head for safer ground or just a better shelter, but you may not be.

Lastly, consider an event like a tsunami, which arrives with no or only minutes worth of warning in many instances, and is more than capable of leveling buildings and people alike well inland from the coastal regions where they strike.

If a tsunami warning was to be issued, you will have only seconds to assess your situation and location, determine whether or not you’re capable of making it to safe ground, or if you need to shelter as best you can in place before the tsunami arrives.

Making the wrong decision either way could be fatal in any of the above scenarios. Trying to flee and being caught on dangerous ground when a disaster properly impacts could mean you and your loved ones will perish.

Conversely, staying in place and trying to ride out any disaster might see you perish for hubris when you had the chance to get away. There are no guarantees, and there may not be any second chances.

You’ll need to learn all you can and make the best decision you can at the time with what info you have when a disaster is drawing close.

Basic Survival Supplies

No matter who you are, where you live or what kind of disaster is most likely to affect you, you will need a basic survival kit or stash that covers all of your basic survival necessities, things like shelter, water, food and so forth.

Whether the threat comes from the sky, the earth or the sea, you will still require the same fundamentals if you want to survive. Think of this as your basic life support package during and after a disaster.

This is not to say that surviving certain disasters will not require specialized gear and equipment as many things can come in very handy depending on the situation, but no matter what happens you will always need the following items and they should form the core of your prepper stash in any event:

Food

A minimum of 1,600 calories a day for an adult that is not exerting will keep you alive for a good while, but 2,000 calories a day is better for supporting hard working metabolisms. This is per person, per day, don’t forget!

Good choices for this category are things like canned or foil-pouched meals, and don’t forget to include some electrolyte powder mix, especially in hot climates. Also toss in disposable utensils and plates.

Water

You’ll want 1 gallon of water per person, per day in any case, and significantly more in hot climates. This will cover hydration along with basic washing and hygiene concerns.

Keep in mind you will never be sad that you have more water unless you have to carry it.

Learn more about stockpiling water here.

Shelter

Tarps and cordage, tents, sleeping bags, blankets, pillows; whatever makes sense for your climate and location.

Remind yourself that exposure can kill in as little as a couple of hours in cold weather. You might need to stay warm inside or outside your house depending on the situation, and your bed may not be a part of the equation.

Clothing

Replacement or supplementary clothes for when your current set gets filthy, damaged or wet.

Make sure they are climate appropriate, but also protective and flexible enough to allow you to work or travel on foot. Shirts, pants, gloves, hats and plenty of socks and underwear should be in this stash.

Also make sure to include a dedicated set of previously broken in lightweight boots or trail shoes. Waterproof waders or coveralls are a great idea if flood events are a possibility.

First-Aid Kit

You should have all the supplies you need to treat minor and major wounds, doubly important when emergency services will be unreachable, overwhelmed or completely out of the picture.

Things like band-aids, gauze rolls and pads, disinfectant and alcohol pads, compression wraps, tourniquets, clotting agents and a variety of over the counter meds should be in this kit.

Also include a stash of prescription meds (kept up to date!) and replacement prescription eyewear with all supporting supplies. It goes without saying, but you must know what you are doing medically before you botch an intervention and make things worse!

Tools

You don’t need to lug around a mechanic’s tool chest, but you should have plenty of useful hand tools to help you build or demolish what you need to during a crisis. Hammers, nails, screwdrivers, vise grips, handsaws and crowbars.

If you know how to run one safely, a chainsaw can make quick work of fallen trees and branches whereas an axe is a muscle-powered alternative. A small stash of lumber and plywood on hand is a good thing in case you need to make hasty repairs. Don’t forget a ladder.

Cash

Cash money will always work where credit and debit cards fail when the grid goes down. Some preppers also consider a small stash of gold as an easy to carry insurance policy when you really need that favor to come through.

Personal Papers

Digital or hard copies of all your most vital docs, things like deeds, titles, accounts, passwords, ID’s, passports and so on. Make sure these are kept as secure as possible while still keeping them handy with your kit in case of emergency.

From this core kit, you can build upon it and grow, adding situational or location specific items that will improve your chances of surviving a disaster.

There are also some disaster specific items or supplies that you should consider adding to your kit that I will mention where applicable in the sections below.

Your Guide to Surviving Different Natural Disasters

There’s a lot to learn about all the different disasters that can strike, no matter where you reside in the world. In fact, it is far too much to cover elegantly in a single article!

But luckily, we have in-depth articles that go into far more detail on every disaster that is presented below, including selections written by your intrepid author. Make sure to check them out!

Hurricanes

Hurricanes are one of the most common and spectacular yearly disasters that can strike all over the globe. Virtually every area of coastline and the areas far beyond are vulnerable to hurricanes in the right seasons.

Hurricanes are one of the most prevalent threats that any prepper may face because they present so many varied dangers.

These dangers may come in the form of deadly high winds, extreme amounts of rain, punishing storm surges that result in tremendous flooding which, to make matters worse, they often spawn tornadoes of their own.

Any major hurricane that makes landfall is almost certain to change both the geography and the culture of a place for decades to come. Its impact is nothing short of enormous, and it will definitely have long-lasting implications.

When you stop to consider just how common hurricanes are, and the fact that they usually arrive in batches, you had better make preparing for these near the top of your list unless you live very far away from the shore.

Destructive Effects of Hurricane

Hurricanes, and their functionally identical cousins cyclones and typhoons are categorized based on wind speed, but each region of the world and the corresponding oceans near them have different benchmarks for it that place their storms in different categories.

Regardless, Atlantic and Pacific hurricanes have wind speeds anywhere from the relatively sedate 64 mph at Category 1, which usually means a storm capable of producing significant wind damage and major local flooding, all the way up to the positively biblical Category 5 hurricanes with wind speeds that are sustained at over 140 mph, which can annihilate cities and then drown their remains.

Even a category 1 hurricane might be a significant danger, but anything that is a category 3 or higher is a severe threat to life and limb.

It doesn’t take a genius to understand how hurricanes, even comparatively small ones, can severely tear up coastlines.

But what many people, including a few preppers, underestimate is that they can also a great danger to people living far inland, even hundreds of miles away from the coastline. One should never underestimate the reach and power of a hurricane.

The overall amount of danger a hurricane will put you in is usually dependent on how close to the center of the storm you are when it makes landfall.

The center of the storm, the eye, is where the winds will be highest and sustained, as well as the most powerful and torrential bands of rain will be found.

As with tornadoes (which incidentally sometimes spawn from hurricanes), one of the single biggest dangers is flying, wind-blown debris, natural or man-made.

Impalement and blunt-force injuries are a real and constant possibility, as is the prospect of being crushed by toppling trees and buildings. As I once heard a comedian say, “It is not that the wind is blowing; it is what the wind is blowing.”

During and after the storm, you’ll have to deal with flooding and all of its attendant problems (see below) like mudslides, landslides and buckling or submerged roads, loss of all utilities and services and completely overwhelmed or disrupted logistics and emergency services.

All tallied, the risk of infection for minor injuries will become very high and difficult to treat. Disease is likely to run rampant as with any flood event and then second and third order effects like chemical and biological contamination along with mold propagation will begin to take a toll on survivors.

Surviving a Hurricane

The single best thing you can do if you want to increase your chances of surviving a hurricane is to be elsewhere, and I mean far away before the hurricane arrives.

If you can get out, then get out with plenty of time to spare.

If you cannot, or choose not, to leave then you must be prepared by fortifying your home intelligently in the form of boarding up windows, stocking up on an abundance of supplies, and keeping one ear tuned to disaster alert radio so you can monitor the storm’s progress as well as the authorities’ response to it.

If your home is poorly sited or if you lack the wherewithal to fortify it, you must know where the nearest and best hurricane shelter is, and to get to it before conditions outside make it too dangerous to travel.

More so than most disasters, a hurricane affords you the time to do your advance work before the clock ticks down to landfall.

Correspondingly, making sure you have done all of that advance work in the form of having an evacuation plan, knowing where alternate shelter locations are and being prepared to properly fortify and secure your home is invaluable when it comes to surviving a hurricane.

Learn more on how to prep for and survive a hurricane here.

Tornadoes

Towering. Destructive. Terrifying. Just a few of the adjectives one could ascribe to tornadoes. Tornadoes typically form and appear out of powerful thunderstorm fronts, and generate the highest wind speeds on Earth of any storm event.

A tornado can spawn, carve a path of destruction across the landscape and then vanish just as quickly, leaving stunned and scared survivors looking fearfully towards an eerie sky in its wake.

Tornadoes can happen anywhere on Earth, but are overwhelmingly the most common in the United States, and are very prevalent in parts of the South and much of the Midwest.

The very nature of these storms mean that they are chaotic and unpredictable, sometimes forming and reforming, weakening or strengthening seemingly without rhyme or reason.

You have to be on your toes during tornado season, and be ready to act at a moment’s notice if your area is under a tornado watch.

Assessing past tornado events, you can determine that any area that has a tornado bearing down on it will have 15 minutes or less of warning before the twister arrives.

That means you are definitely on the clock if you want to stand a chance of surviving these iconic and Infamous storms.

Destructive Effects of Tornadoes

Tornadoes are storms that generate the highest winds found on the planet Earth, with even the weakest of tornadoes, measuring on the Enhanced Fujita scale at EF0 pushing anywhere from 65 to 85mph winds more or less constantly.

While that might not sound like much, these are still more than capable of causing damage to buildings and even toppling shallowly planted or weak trees. Large and sturdy trees will still lose branches.

At the extreme upper end of the power factor scale, EF5, a tornado will produce 200mph+ sustained winds, more than capable of completely obliterating all but the most reinforced buildings and hurling automobiles and even train cars through the air like styrofoam peanuts.

Anything that is made airborne by winds this powerful will become a deadly projectile, and if you are caught out of doors you will be flensed alive or carried off by the fury of the storm.

The majority of people killed by tornadoes are killed by flying debris, so you must take this hazard seriously no matter how powerful forecasters claim the storm system is.

But beyond monumental wind, tornadoes are typically spawned from and will accompany powerful thunderstorm fronts.

That means you’ll be dealing with hazards like lightning, torrential rain and large hail that is more than capable of battering vehicles and inflicting severe injuries on exposed people.

What is worse, the driving rain can serve to mask a tornado’s approach, increasing the chances that you will be caught unaware, or with little time to react.

Assuming someone survives the passage of a tornado, they will probably be emerging from whatever shelter they managed to find out into a bleakley altered landscape.

The vast majority of buildings will be damaged if they are not completely annihilated. Every power line will be down, everything else will be damaged, and detritus, both natural and man-made, will be scattered everywhere.

Surviving a Tornado

The best way to survive a tornado is to be prepared with reliable shelter you can access quickly, and preparation also means having a survival kit close at hand when tornado season is upon you.

Anytime there is a thunderstorm more powerful than a passing shower, you must keep one ear tuned to the weather radio.

You will not always have warning when a tornado is approaching, considering they can form quickly, but meteorologists in conjunction with storm chasers have gotten very good at spotting conditions that are likely to create a tornado.

When you are under a tornado watch, the time to act is immediately. Clear the way to your shelter, and keep your survival kit close at hand or inside.

The best shelter is the strongest structure that is easy to reach in seconds, although some are completely inadequate for the task, such as vehicles and mobile homes.

If your home is not capable of withstanding a tornado’s might, it is definitely in your best interest to locate the nearest passable shelter that you can make use of.

One idea that is definitely worthwhile is upgrading your home’s construction to better withstand the high winds that accompany a tornado.

While this is an expensive and time-consuming process, an ultimate that is also functional and practical is the installation of a below-ground storm shelter module on your property.

Aside from your basic survival kit we went over above, you might consider adding helmets and goggles, both to protect you from flying debris and from unstable structures and falling materials.

Chemlights can be useful for marking family members during hours of darkness after you emerge, and an audible signaling device, something like a whistle, air horn or similar item may help you get rescued if you are trapped beneath a collapsed structure.

Floods

Water is an ever-present killer in one form or another, and anywhere that it can rain it can flood.

Despite being one of the most precious resources on Earth, absolutely vital for sustaining life, water remains a terrifyingly powerful force when there is too much in one place, especially when it is moving.

Flooding claims many thousands of lives the world over every single year, and costs hundreds of millions of dollars in property damage. Places that are not vulnerable to flooding are very few and far between.

What’s worse, flooding can result from all kinds of events, from the aforementioned major thunderstorms and hurricanes, to tsunamis, landslide events into lakes and even from dam breaks.

Destructive Effects of Floods

Floods are immensely destructive and extremely dangerous, whether or not they’re standing water or fast-moving flash floods.

Any moving mass of water standing only a few inches will easily knock a person off their feet and carry them away, whereas a foot of water will sweep a vehicle right off the road.

Any structure that is shoddily built, poorly anchored or already damaged can be toppled by flood waters breaking its support members.

Even when the water stops moving, or was never moving to begin with you will have much to contend with if you want to survive. Rising floodwaters will contain and conceal all kinds of debris, much of it dangerous.

Everything from twisted metal, spilled chemicals, sewage and human waste, corpses, and more will all be hidden in the brackish water. This makes moving through floodwaters especially dangerous.

As you might expect, a flood event will knock out or compromise all major public utilities including water, electricity and oftentimes gas. Logistics in the affected area will grind to a halt as roads become completely impassable, and some areas find themselves completely cut off.

Watercraft of various kind will be able to pass through floodwaters but this is risky. Aircraft, of course, can fly right over the carnage below, but will not be able to land anywhere near the flood.

Surviving a Flood

Surviving a flood is mostly a matter of being aware of the potential risk in your area, knowing evacuation routes and taking them before things get too bad, and making smart choices if you are forced to shelter in place.

Creating a map ahead of time of the high ground nearest your home and place of business is a good idea, even if they are just terrain features.

Similarly, mapping areas that are vulnerable to flash flooding or our danger points in the case of standing water, things like bridges over fast-moving water and so forth, is similarly wise.

Entering flood waters while trying to escape from a flood is a great way to be swept downstream if on foot or in a vehicle, or become trapped in the latter.

Additionally, if your house is being overtaken by flood waters you should seek higher ground but never inside the attic, as it is too easy to be trapped by the rising water. Remember, never, ever enter floodwaters, moving or otherwise, if it can be avoided!

If one has a good handle on the local topography and what you can expect from historical floods, it is possible if you act quickly enough and have enough labor to secure your house using sandbags or water inflatable barricades to redirect or even stop flood waters.

If this is not a possibility, all you can do is seek higher ground and hope the waters recede before you are forced to the roof.

Tsunamis

It is rare the disaster that will strike more suddenly, and with more destructive force than a tsunami. Imagine it: a massive surge of water pushed far inland sweeping aside people, vehicles and buildings alike, dragging behind it an inundating wall of water.

Anywhere that a large body of water meets the shore a tsunami may occur, typically appearing in from the ocean but also possible and large lakes and reservoirs.

Tsunamis often give little in the way of warning, but if you know the often subtle signs that precede them and you act quickly, it is possible to survive one.

Destructive Effects of Tsunamis

Despite what many spectacular disaster movies would show you, a tsunami does not look like a skyscraper-sized curling wave of the kind that you might see surfers enjoying during the day at the beach.

A tsunami is actually a mass of water, composed of waves that are generated and pushed toward the shore whenever a large body of water undergoes a significant displacement event.

This most commonly occurs due to an undersea earthquake, a similarly aquatic underwater landslide, a volcanic eruption or even potentially a major asteroid or meteor impact.

Because tsunamis are essentially a series of waves and not one giant, singular wave they can strike the shore repeatedly over a length of time.

You might have anywhere from a couple of minutes to hours between impacts, and they can reach a shockingly long distance inland from the shore.

This means that after the first impact, once the water recedes for the most part, people trying to flee or otherwise evacuate could be overtaken by a follow-on wave that may easily kill them.

Tsunami waves strike with incredible force, and often exceed 25mph in speed. We already discussed briefly in the flooding section above just how powerful moving water is even when it is not very tall.

Tsunami waves both move quickly, and gain height as they move inland, providing a lethally powerful one-two punch against people on foot, vehicles and structures. Even after the tsunami proper is over, survivors will be left in a flooded area that is badly ravaged.

Surviving a Tsunami

Surviving a tsunami is all about being alert to any sign or symptom that one is impending, such as an earthquake, a sudden rise or drop of the tide outside of its normal schedule, a freight train-like rushing or roaring sound, or a sudden, pronounced and comparatively small surge of water moving up the beach and shore.

Any one of these symptoms alone or in tandem is an indicator that a tsunami is imminent and you must act immediately!

If you are in any area that could be affected by the tsunami you must act fast and get to the highest available ground that is as far from the waterline as possible.

Never wait for an official warning to do so! If you cannot find and enter a tall, strong building, then you should try to climb the tallest, strongest tree that is nearby.

You must do everything in your power to stay out of this tsunami’s waters, as they will be badly clogged with all kinds of dangerous debris, and you are very likely to be killed by drowning or crushing when the next wave arrives.

After you are certain that the tsunami has concluded, you must be very wary of entering any standing water as with any flood event: It will contain many physical dangers as well as potentially live power lines and other hazards.

Wildfires

Wildfires are another common and perennial threat in many parts of the world depending upon the season and also depending upon how badly environmentalist, earth-loving policies are allowed to impact brush control, preemptive burning and other fire-management methods.

During particularly bad wildfire years, tens of millions of acres can be burned, with countless more millions of dollars done in property damage globally, and can result in hundreds or even thousands of lives lost, along with the lives of countless animals and insects.

Wildfires are pervasive, persistent threats because the smallest accidental spark can turn into an apocalyptic conflagration that threatens entire counties.

Destructive Effects of Wildfires

Wildfires are brutally singular in the destruction their wreak.

Growing from a small blaze to a raging firestorm, consuming everything in its path that is capable of burning and then growing ever larger and ever faster the more fuel it encounters, a wildfire can turn so apocalyptic in scope that it can scorch the very soil, preventing any plant matter from regrowing.

The winds driven ahead of a wildfire can be scalding hot in and of themselves, and burning embers can travel a great distance spreading smaller fires ahead of the main one.

Many communities that have found themselves in the path of a wildfire, one that was unable to be contained or stemmed by valiant firefighting efforts, have been completely consumed, and only the luckiest homeowners, or those who can both afford to and have time enough to implement the most extreme fire prevention methods will see their home survive at all.

Probably the most surprising thing about wildfires is just how fast they can travel across the land in ideal conditions.

Without any fire breaks and without any smaller fires or controlled burns to consume underbrush, fallen branches, twigs, dry grasses and so on you could be facing a major conflagration that can race ahead of all efforts to stop it.

Surviving a Wildfire

You have only one real chance to survive a wildfire and that is by evacuating. Choosing to stay behind in your home when a wildfire is closing in is unthinkable if all you’re trying to do is save your home and possessions.

If you are caught in the wilderness in a wildfire situation, one surefire way to survive it is to look for a large body of water but you can get in and swim or float to the middle of while waiting for the fire to pass you by.

Alternately, If you can find any break in the fire that is approaching and make it to an area that has already burned, you will likely be safe from the flames, but you should beware at the surrounding area will be extremely hot.

One common and tragic mistake that people make sometimes when they’re about to be overtaken by a wildfire in their vehicle is to bailout and try to run.

It is extremely dangerous to attempt to run from a wildfire at the last minute, as radiant heat is the biggest killer and anything that can shield you from is an advantage.

If you are trapped inside your car with a wildfire approaching, keep the engine running, get as low as you can in the vehicle, and cover yourself with something.

Things will get extremely hot in the car and it will very likely become hard to breathe due to lack of oxygen, but with a little luck the fire will pass you by leaving you unburned.

Learn more on prepping for and surviving a wildfire here.

Volcanoes

Most volcanoes erupt more or less harmlessly, but a few can create significant localized destruction and hazards to citizens. But some volcanoes erupt with such legendary force they can become proper cataclysms.

History furnishes many examples of such volcanoes, and even here, in the U.S., the eruption of Mount St. Helens not too many decades ago stands as testament to the biblical destructive force of a large volcano.

Most volcanic eruptions are nothing to get out of bed over unless you live very close to the volcano itself, but even a mid-grade volcanic eruption, to say nothing of a truly powerful one, means you will have to have your survival procedures sewn up tight and act on them immediately if you want to stand any chance of survival.

Unfortunately for the U.S., we are sitting on top of an unfathomably powerful supervolcano in the form of the Yellowstone Caldera. It has erupted in the past, and if it erupts in kind again it will make Mt. Saint Helens look like a cap gun, and even Krakatoa pale by comparison.

Yellowstone (and others like it) are properly classified as “supervolcanoes”, and can erupt with force that makes even the most powerful nuclear weapons look puny. Volcanoes of this magnitude are slumbering forces of world-altering power.

Destructive Effects of Volcanoes

Volcanoes are threatening in more ways than you might be thinking, far beyond mere lava flows as terrible as it sounds.

A volcanic eruption powerful enough to be called significant will generate immense quantities of asphyxiating smoke, gas and ash which can incapacitate people and animals, and stall internal combustion engines.

Also, copious amounts of incredibly hot rock and molten magma will be ejected and flung far and wide, starting fires and posing direct hazards to people and structures.

As bad as that sounds, the signature and characteristic effect of an erupting volcano is a pyroclastic flow.

Imagine, if you will, a rapidly moving wall of unfathomably hot gas and ejecta from the volcano moving together away from the site of the eruption in a sort of shockwave.

This pyroclastic flow annihilates anything it hits, and travels anywhere from a comparatively slow 65 mph to a mind-boggling 350 mph.

None of this eventuality bodes well for your survival if you are anywhere near the volcano when it occurs.

The aftermath of a volcano will likely result in a total shutdown of electronic communication in the area resulting from disruption of physical landlines, transmitters, the blockage of satellite-based communications, and even radio due to atmospheric interference.

Surviving a Volcano

Volcanoes have a sort of rhythm of their own that beats on a geologic timescale, meaning that even the smartest and brightest scientists can only work with what data they can tease out of them.

This means that you might have some warning if scientists think a significant eruption is going to occur, or you may literally have no warning whatsoever, at all.

Assuming that you will not have to endure a truly catastrophic volcanic eruption that is likely to kill you more or less instantly, survival depends upon a few key factors.

First, if signs of a pending eruption are occurring, you need to evacuate, and get as far away from the volcano as you can while remaining upwind of it.

Remember that even if you escape the blast and pyroclastic flow, the atmosphere will become choked with ash, gases and smoke that can make you gravely ill (or worse) you if inhaled.

You must also be very cautious to avoid any streams, rivers and lakes that are near the volcano and travel away from them while you try to reach minimum safe distance.

A volcanic eruption that affects a large body of water or tributary will turn into something called a lahar, which is a mixture of lava, mud and mineral matter that is in all practical aspects a boiling mudslide which will travel along the path of the water, and is itself utterly lethal.

Blizzards

It is hard to believe that common, sustained, winter weather can cause so much destruction, so much death and turn into such a logistical snarl on a yearly basis, but it does.

Any proper blizzard is marked by sustained low temperatures, high winds and tremendous amounts of snowfall can literally immobilize entire regions, halting commerce, knocking out utilities, and placing tens of thousands if not hundreds of thousands or millions of people at risk of exposure.

Mother Nature makes it very clear but only those who live near the equator are ever free from fear of winter’s icy grip.

Destructive Effects of Blizzards

Freezing cold, deep snow, blistering wind and lots of all three. A blizzard is not a particularly glamorous disaster, but that does not mean they are not extremely dangerous, especially when they persist for weeks at a time.

Any blizzard event will mean you’re going to shelter in place for days or weeks on end, and if your supply situation is not up to snuff you might be taking your life into your own hands if you go out in the chilling, blinding conditions to try and find more (assuming they can be found at all).

Aside from the obvious strain or total shutdown on commerce and other civil logistics the blizzard will cause, there’s a good chance that you will lose utilities for the duration, or at least until the worst part of the blizzard relents and crews can restore services.

If you rely on electricity or natural gas for heat, and lose access to both, you are now in a serious survival situation.

Risk of exposure and loss of essential medical care are two of the biggest risks posed by blizzards no matter where you are, and it is easy to take for granted that emergency services will be barely functional if they are functional at all for the duration.

Surviving a Blizzard

Surviving a blizzard is essentially about being very well-prepared for bugging-in since you’re probably going to be staying put for the duration.

Is also essential that you are skilled with creating shelter and keeping warm, since you will not be able to count on having access to electricity or gas for heating your home.

A fireplace with a good supply of firewood or a wood-burning stove that is properly vented will be quite a comfort indeed during the frozen onslaught of a blizzard.

Remember that you cannot burn anything for heat that will create a risk of trapping carbon monoxide gas inside your home even during a blizzard! Doing so will put you and any other occupants of the home at serious risk of death.

If you can’t burn something safely, don’t burn it at all; you’re far better off creating a microclimate inside your own home- a shelter within a shelter- in order to stay warm, even if it is very cramped and uncomfortable compared to just lounging around the house.

The last thing you might have to be concerned with during a blizzard is getting snow off of your roof, and out from around your doors so you do not become completely buried.

Snow is heavy, and if left to accumulate it can cave-in weaker structures. If you have plenty of supplies and are prepared for the loss of utilities you can make it through even a severe blizzard.

Heatwaves and Extreme Heat Events

The U.S. CDC reports over 600 deaths a year attributed to extreme heat exposure, and there are many tens of thousands more that will be incapacitated or gravely injured by the same.

A combination of extremely high temperature and high humidity can essentially broil you alive, your body unable to cope with the stress. This is exacerbated anytime you are exerting yourself in such conditions.

Statistically extreme heat and heatwave events are some of the most lethal natural events that you can face in life, and most places on Earth, even those that are not year-round hot climates, can experience extreme heat events.

Destructive Effects of Extreme Heat Events

The single biggest hazard posed by extreme heat events is interference and reduction in the body’s natural capability to cool itself.

Anytime temperatures climb higher than 90 degrees F (32 C) while the humidity similarly remains high, you will be facing a significant risk of heat-related illnesses, including heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

Secondary effects of heatwaves often include brownouts or even blackouts, as the electrical grid struggles to cope with the increased demands on it generated by residential and commercial cooling systems.

Surviving an Extreme Heat Event

Surviving an extreme heat event is relatively simple if you are not part of a vulnerable demographic, like the old, very young or sick. If at all possible, stay out of direct sunlight and in the shade, or in an air-conditioned building.

Make sure you drink plenty of fluids, paying attention to replacing electrolytes regularly, especially if you have been sweating.

If you must work, work in the coolest parts of the day; early morning and late evening or even night time, and carefully regulate yourself so you do not overheat.

Remember: By the time you start feeling bad or thirsty it is already too late. You must stay on top of hydrating and replacing electrolytes regularly if you want to stand any chance of working through a major heat event.

Geomagnetic Storms

Geomagnetic storms are powerful cosmic events caused by electromagnetic fluctuations and ejections in our sun’s magnetic field.

These eruptions can fling powerful and unpredictable energy at our home on earth that is easily capable of disrupting signals of all kinds and potentially even disrupting or downing our electrical grid akin to a massive, naturally-occuring EMP.

These events may not be physically dangerous in and of themselves, but present significant threats to life and limb by disrupting vital communications infrastructure and potentially even the electrical grid.

Destructive Effects of Geomagnetic Storms

A geomagnetic storm is not directly dangerous to people, but that doesn’t mean it cannot hurt you. looking at prior solar storms, such as the infamous Carrington event of the mid-nineteenth century, we are able to deduce that a similar event today would cause widespread havoc, injuries and even deaths.

A geomagnetic storm would certainly disable our power grid, and could possibly do it for good since the world’s power grids, and the United States’ in particular, is extraordinarily intricate and vulnerable to disruption of any single part.

If enough parts of a power grid fail in succession lasting damage or even total destruction may result. A regional, or even worse, national blackout will take a very long time to repair, and the second and third order effects of such an event are difficult to collate.

Imagine if you will what that will herald for medical services, police and fire departments, groceries, refrigeration-dependent commercial and scientific products and more.

It is an ugly thought that only gets uglier.

Surviving a Geomagnetic Storm

Chances are good that you will survive a geomagnetic storm so long as you are not in an aircraft at cruising altitude. It is surviving the aftermath that will be challenging.

Peppers who are already well acquainted with self sustainment, permaculture and living a simpler life that is not completely dependent upon electricity and the internet will make the transition better than others.

It goes without saying that any prepper worth the name should have a substantial stash of all household goods, supplies, equipment and provision that they need to survive and thrive during a sustained blackout.

You can get extra points in this category if you have taken pains to ensure that your most vital implements are EMP proof.

Earthquakes

Earthquakes are another disaster that can strike anywhere on Earth, are highly variable in their destructive effect, and occur with very little or absolutely no warning.

Earthquakes can be anything from a minor, inconvenient shaking or trembling that can upset delicately placed hangings and decorations to apocalyptic upheavals and shattering of the earth itself.

Earthquakes occur more or less constantly, and it is only a matter of time before a “big one” strikes, especially in areas atop major fault lines.

Destructive Effects of Earthquakes

During an earthquake, caused by the very foundations of the earth shifting, grinding and groaning the land beneath your feet will shift and heave and split, gravely damaging or even toppling buildings, buckling roads and bridges and mauling utilities systems like water, gas and electric pipelines.

People are easily injured during earthquakes, being knocked to the ground, thrown into the air, struck or crushed by falling debris.

The damage done by a powerful ‘quake to structures and civil infrastructure cannot be understated. Smaller buildings that survived the shaking and rattling may be crushed or severely damaged by debris falling off of their taller larger neighbors.

Buildings with sturdy foundations that do not tumble or outwardly show any signs of severe damage may still be rendered unsafe and unstable by a strong earthquake.

Inside the buildings, things will be no less hazardous as falling debris, breaking glass and heaving floors all serve to injure the occupants, and make it difficult for them to reach meaningful shelter.

Buildings that do collapse will bury their occupants alive, killing many of them, and trapping the rest.

In the aftermath of a major ‘quake, electrical disruption or complete blackout is to be expected, as is non-functional or compromised water supplies, and compromise sewer systems.

Combined with the often severe damage to roads, bridges and even runways and helipads earthquake cleanup is often a logistical nightmare as responders and survivors alike must carefully pick their way through the rubble and use their best judgment for guiding vehicles in such a way that they will not become immobilized or damaged.

And finally, it isn’t over until it is over…

Earthquakes are often and infamously accompanied by aftershocks, subsequent tremors that may be nearly as powerful as the initial quake, and still more than capable of causing damage and injuries, and disrupting response efforts.

These aftershocks can go on for some time.

Surviving an Earthquake

Surviving a powerful earthquake is a matter of getting to the best possible shelter you are able to reach at a moment’s notice, since the longer the ‘quake goes on, the less likely it is that you’ll be able to move with anything resembling good order while it is occurring. The single best thing you can do is to reach sturdy overhead cover, and get beneath it.

A well-built table is usually the most accessible piece of overhead cover in most buildings. Do not take shelter in a doorway unless you have no other option.

If it is possible, reaching open ground and clear sky will at least keep you safe from falling debris but will not protect you from being flung about as the ground beneath your feet literally rolls like the ocean or fractures violently.

In the aftermath, having a packed bug-out bag that is accessible will likely make the difference between you sustaining yourself or not.

Earthquakes seem to have a sort of tipping point as far as post-event survival is concerned.

They are either not so bad that society completely implodes in a given area or they are so destructive that every facet of society comes to a screeching halt. There is not much of an in-between.

An earthquake may be bad enough to bust up roads and disrupt utilities, but life can to a greater or lesser extent go back to normal after the shaking stops.

Or an earthquake can be so powerful that it makes the area affected by it look like a model town that was dropped from a great height.

If you are facing anything resembling the latter category your BOB will be all you have, likely.

Landslides and Mudslides

When enough rain has saturated the soil near a cliff’s edge or the slow, almost gentle, settling and cracking of rock and soil around the hills and mountains of the world has gone on long enough, you will see a mudslide or landslide, respectively.

A terrifically heavy mass of soil and rock, or mud, that hurtles downward propelled by gravity, flattening and burying anything in its path be it man, beast or building.

Landslides and mudslides occur all over the world and can happen due to weather events, other disasters like earthquakes or all on their own after enough time has gone by, and erosion has occurred.

Destructive Effects of Landslides and Mudslides

The destructive power of a landslide or mudslide depends largely on the scale. A relatively small one, say a largest chunk of a hill or cliff face breaking off and hurtling downslope, is extremely dangerous and quite destructive to anything directly in its path.

But either one that occurs on a very large scale, say half of a mountain or an entire hillside loosing from its moorings will absolutely obliterate anything in its path.

The two chiefly differ in how they behave as they travel. Mudslides as their name suggests are more liquid than the solid mass of earth and rock in a landslide.

For this reason mudslides more commonly follow routes that a similar mass of water would be likely to take. This to make them a little more unpredictable and make your life even worse if you are in an area that would funnel the mudslide to you.

Any mudslide or landslide would inflict significant damage to most trees and structures, and is as expected a grave threat to life if you are caught by it.

The largest landslides and mudslides are nothing short of disastrous, and will obliterate all but the strongest of trees and structures in its path, and are positively lethal to people that are caught by them.

Surviving Landslides and Mudslides

The one Surefire technique for surviving a landslide or mudslide is to not live or dwell where there are most likely to occur.

Mountainous and hilly areas are the most vulnerable, and you are just asking for it if you care to perch your home right on the edge of a cliff or hill to admire the stunning vistas, as these structures are destroyed utterly when that cliff edge or hillside gives way.

The calculus of survival when facing a landslide or mudslide is simple: you will have virtually no warning that they are occurring.

If you are lucky, you may see or hear it coming, and have a few precious seconds to react. Using this time wisely may save your life.

If it is at all possible to seek higher ground that you know will withstand the event, you must do it at once.

Barring that, there is a non-zero chance that you might be able to move out of the impacted area before it reaches you, though this is risky; you’re almost always better off taking your chances in cover versus being caught outside and impacted by a landslide or mudslide.

Hail

Hail is commonly encountered as a feature of powerful thunderstorms, and that means it can occur anywhere that thunderstorms occur. Most hail is harmless, pea sized or smaller, and will do little more than raise a racket as it patters harmlessly off your roof.

Frequently though, much larger sizes of hail can be encountered, reaching golf ball-size or even much larger, and they have enough mass and velocity as they falls from the sky to inflict significant damage to vehicles, roofs and obviously people.

Destructive Effects of Hail

There is no flashy, dramatic effect of hail to concern yourself with; the mundane effect is dangerous enough! Water is extremely dense, and once frozen into a rigid shape in the form of ice it can inflict significant damage if traveling with enough velocity when it impacts something.

Time and time again, nature proves through hail that it can beat anything into (or out of) shape. Large diameter hail will break windows, badly dent wood and thin metal, and inflict bruises, concussions or lacerations on people that are struck by it.

Surviving Large-Diameter Hail

Anything that is golf ball-sized or larger is growing significantly dangerous, dangerous enough that you should definitely seek proper shelter, and not rely on simple overhead cover.

Any sturdy structure will do as will most cars that lack fabric tops. Beware any glass, as it will likely shatter or break entirely.

If caught without overhead shelter, use your arms to shield your head and face as best as you can, or make use of anything that can absorb impact like a backpack, purse, thick coat or blanket.

Conclusion

Preparing for and surviving all of nature’s most furious weather events is no easy feat, and will require considerable planning, preparation and study.

But if you are dedicated and use this guide to get you started and direct your energies you can save yourself a lot of wasted effort.

No matter how laborious it seems, you must not neglect to get ready for natural disasters of all kinds; they, more than any other, are likely to impact you over the course of your life.

Unfortunately the recent events in California, Illinois and Colorado have not only robbed people of the ones they love, but have also emboldened the political activism of anti-gun politicians the world over.

In the past, assault weapons bans have been derided as attacking primarily cosmetic features of certain long guns. Now the calls for a renewed gun ban have been expanded to include the functional classification of almost all semi-automatic firearms.

Thankfully, with the recent Supreme Court ruling on guns, we are in a better position to protect our rights.

However, if you want to be in the best possible position to protect yourself, your loved ones, and prepare against the prospect of a nationwide ban, here are some guns you should be thinking about adding to your arsenal.

AR-15

The target of every piece of gun ban legislation is the AR platform and all its derivatives.

If you want to prepare for potential gun bans or legislation that will make certain weapons harder to acquire, then the AR-15 should be one of the guns at the top of your list.

The AR-15 is one of the most popular rifles in America and with good reason. It is highly modular, fires .223 Remington or 5.56 Nato, an intermediate cartridge with manageable recoil, and has a plethora of parts availability.

The rifle is produced by a large number of manufacturers at various price points. Whether you’re looking for a budget rifle or one that will last over 100,000 rounds, the AR can and will fit the bill.

The AR platform’s modularity lends itself to fill a wide variety of roles and should worse come to worse this rifle should be in your armory.

AKM

Another common target for bans here in the United States is the AKM series of rifles, which is the successor to the AK-47.

The Soviet counterpart to the AR-15, the AKM is the most widespread weapon globally, with an estimation of over 100 million in existence.

The AK is a solid and highly dependable rifle that fires the intermediate 7.62×39 caliber round. The round this weapon uses has a bit more kick than other intermediate caliber rounds but is still manageable.

This rifle has become increasingly more expensive and mags are nowhere near as common or cheap as they were previously due to imports to the United States drying up.

Despite this, the AK is extremely durable and worth the expense. Many AK pattern rifles come with a chrome lined barrel leading to an extremely long lived rifle as long as you maintain it regularly.

Steyr AUG

The Steyr AUG is an unusual rifle in its design and high price relative to the other firearms on this list.

However, its unique design makes it worth looking into. The AUG is a bullpup rifle chambered in 5.56 Nato and is an exceptional rifle to use for close quarters combat or home defense.

The bullpup design allows for the rifle to have a full 16 inch barrel while still being compact enough to allow for easy maneuverability in tight areas.

The full length barrel allows the 5.56 round to reach higher velocities and increase overall lethality. While some models require proprietary magazines, there are models and conversion kits designed to take STANAG magazines.

Glocks

The hysteria that accompanied the release of the “plastic gun” that was “invisible to metal detectors” never really died in anti-gun crowds or legislation.

While handgun bans are no longer constitutionally viable in the United States, it doesn’t stop certain states and municipalities from trying.

Glocks are legendary for their reliability and simplicity. They use a variety of common calibers and their magazines, parts, and holsters are cheap and plentiful.

You can field strip the weapon for basic maintenance and cleaning without any specialized tools. The lifetime of the weapon, with regular maintenance, can be in excess of 50,000 rounds. Even if you’re not a fan of “plastic fantastic” guns, a Glock should be in your stable of guns.

CZ Scorpion EVO

The Scorpion EVO is a pistol caliber carbine or subgun chambered in 9mm.

All versions of the weapon come with picatinny rails for top mounted optics and MLOK rails for side mounted attachments.

While subguns have fallen out of favor with law enforcement tactical teams in favor of short barreled rifles, they offer numerous benefits for the civilian user.

The EVO is chambered in a common and relatively cheap round. It has exceptionally manageable recoil and is a small enough weapon that the strength of the user is a nonfactor.

The proprietary magazines it uses are affordable and come in a variety of capacities, ranging from 10-32 rounds. It offers exceptional functionality as a home defense weapon or a personal defense weapon.

Ruger Mini-14

The Mini-14 has been insulated from gun ban in the past, however, anti-gun politicians have wised up in the years post the Federal Assault Weapons Ban and have begun attacking semi-automatic weapons entirely.

The Mini-14 is listed as a potential gun ban target in recently proposed legislation.

If you live in a state that already has restrictive gun laws, it would benefit you to purchase a Mini-14 to fill your need for a semi-automatic rifle.

The Mini-14 is typically chambered in .223 or 5.56 and it utilizes proprietary magazines. The Mini-14 offers all of the benefits of a semi-automatic rifle and it comes with the added benefit of being an unassuming “hunting” rifle if you choose the ranch version.

Benelli M4

The Benelli M4 is one of, if not the highest, quality shotgun on the market.

This 12 gauge semi-automatic shotgun utilizes a short stroke piston design.

The pistons inside the system are self cleaning and function opposite a rotating bolt.

This design simplifies the mechanisms in the gun, allowing for greater durability and longevity to the gun. The system can reportedly handle more than 25,000 rounds with no need for major repairs.

The M4 can handle a variety of different loads, including lower power shells and less than lethal baton or bean bag rounds. There is a minor drawback in using lower power rounds because they don’t cycle the system properly, meaning it will require manual operation.

There is no guarantee that the worst will not come to pass and it would be negligent to deny the possibility of gun bans in the future.

Some hope can be put in the protections the US Supreme Court has laid out, but don’t let that be your only line of defense. It is better to have some of the guns on this list than to need them and not have them.

When you’ve finally found your forever home or at least your home for the next couple decades, it’s important to plan for emergencies. One of the most common emergencies that most people will encounter at some point is a blackout in cold weather.

Most often, blackouts in winter occur due to high winds or ice and snow build up that takes down wires in your area. This means no power and if you haven’t planned properly, it could mean no heat in your home. In truth, many people suffer frostbite, hypothermia, and even die during blackouts because they haven’t adequately prepared to stay warm without electricity.

Hypothermia can be deadly because it can happen gradually. In fact, some people go to sleep and just simply freeze to death before they wake up. But with a little advanced planning, you and your family can stay warm and cozy. Below are some ways to heat your home in the winter if there’s a blackout.

Backup Power Source

One of the most obvious ways to heat your home when the power goes out would be to have a backup power source in place to provide power for your furnace or main heating system.

Consider installing a generator for the main systems in your home or even just a battery backup to power your heating system temporarily. Solar and wind power are also good for backup power options if it works for your family.

Insulate Your Home

Having a home that is well insulated goes a long way toward helping you heat your home during winter if there’s a blackout. Use weather-stripping on exterior doors and install window film and removable caulk on windows to help keep cold air out and warm air in.

If you aren’t sure whether your walls and attic are insulated properly, find out now. Take steps to fully insulate before the next power outage.

Professionally installed carpet with a thick padding will help insulate floors. You can also use area rugs and throw rugs to help insulate bare floors. If your floors are still cold after putting down an area rug, try layering cardboard between the floor and the rug to insulate it further.

This not only will help lower your heating bills all winter long, but it will help to trap warm air inside if the power goes out unexpectedly in cold weather. A well-insulated home means you and your family won’t get dangerously cold quite as quickly. In fact, if your home is well insulated and you know how to dress warmly, you could even survive an overnight power outage, if it’s not bitterly cold outside.

Stop Heat Loss Quickly

Let’s say the power does go out and you have a heating system that requires electricity to operate. You meant to get a backup power source in place one day, but you just haven’t been able to get it done yet.

Now, in the middle of a snowstorm, your house goes dark. It’s important to know how to stop heat loss quickly. You want to trap any warm air that is in your home and keep any cold air from getting in.

If you have a standard furnace system, close the cold air return vents to keep warm air trapped in your home. Seal up any cracks and gaps where warm air can escape, or cold air can rush inside.

Use a door draft stopper at the bottom of exterior doors or roll up a towel and lay it along the bottom of the door or in the ledge of windows if you didn’t insulate them with window film. If it’s late afternoon or evening close your draft blocking curtains or at least hang a heavy blanket or quilt over the windows to help trap warm air in and keep cold air out.

If need be, you can hang heavy quilts or blankets on the walls in the rooms where you will be gathered to help trap air inside. When the sun is out in the morning and midday, leave curtains open to let the sunlight warm the room. Even a heavy shower curtain liner or piece of plastic sheeting can be used to help insulate windows temporarily to stop drafts.

Fill Your Bathtub with Hot Water

I haven’t tested this one myself so let me know if you’ve tried it. If a storm is coming and the power goes out, fill your bathtub with very hot water. My understanding is that the heat will disperse throughout the bathroom and possibly into adjacent rooms. It may not actually raise the temperature of the room, but it could contribute to keeping the temperature from dropping so quickly.

Portable Propane Heaters

There are some really great portable propane space heaters available on the market today. The one I have as part of my blackout plan is a Mr. Buddy Heater model.

It’s easy to operate and is fueled by those green propane cylinder tanks that you can buy just about anywhere. It makes a great heater for an emergency, if the power was out for several hours or even overnight, we could keep using that at least one or two rooms warm with that heater.

For an extended power outage, the heater has an optional connector to attach it to a bigger tank like the one I use for my gas grill. I have 4 small cylinders on hand and 3 of those larger tanks and I try to keep them full.

You do have to remember to keep everything properly vented and make sure you have alarms in place to alert you if oxygen levels get low. What’s great about the Mr. Buddy Heater is that it has an automatic shut off if oxygen in the room drops too low.

Portable Kerosene Heaters

Another way to heat your home in winter during a blackout would be with a kerosene heater. Just make sure the one you get will ignite without using electricity. Kerosene is available at local gas stations, but it is extremely flammable. Be sure to properly store any unused kerosene for safety.

Again, with kerosene heaters, make sure the room is properly vented and that you install the proper alarms to alert you if the oxygen level in the room becomes dangerously low.

Block Off Unused Rooms

In older houses, many people will completely block off the upstairs during the winter to lower their heating bills. During a blackout, if you are trying to keep your house warm, you can block off any rooms that aren’t being used. Perhaps the living and a bedroom is all you need for the night.

If you’re worried about pipes freezing, you may want to move mattresses into the kitchen area so you can stay warm and keep pipes from getting too cold. Hang heavy blankets over doors to other parts of the house. Use your portable heater to heat only the space where everyone will gather until the blackout is over.

Switch to a Non-Electric Heat Source

Of course, one of the most reliable ways to heat your home in winter if there’s a blackout is to simply switch now to a non-electric heat source.

Fireplaces and woodstoves are great options because with a little practice they can also be used for cooking and for heating water for personal hygiene needs. Just make sure that you stay stocked up on firewood if you decide to heat your house with wood.

You’d be surprised how much wood it takes to heat a home for an entire winter. Even a wood stove without wood can be useful. I know of a couple who ran out of firewood and burned books and other non-essential items in their house in order to keep the house warm enough to survive the night.

Pellet wood stoves are nice too, but keep in mind that many of these have electronic ignition so make sure you have a battery backup for it or get one that can be lit manually if the power goes out.

Dress Warm and Cuddle Up

After you’ve done what you can to heat your home in the winter during a blackout, don’t forget to dress yourself in layers and cuddle up to stay warm.

Wear a warm hat on your head, gloves if you have them, and wool socks or warm slippers to keep your toes and feet toasty warm. Whether you cuddle up to family members or pets, sharing body heat is a great way to keep warm during a blackout.

Have you ever experienced a power outage in cold weather? What did you do to heat your home when it happened? How are you prepared to heat your home when the next blackout comes?