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Natural Disasters

31 articles

A natural disaster is a damaging event driven by nature, such as a hurricane, tornado, flood, wildfire, earthquake or winter storm. Learn which of these hazards are most likely where you live, and set up at least two ways to receive official warnings.

Natural disasters including hurricanes, wildfires, tornadoes, earthquakes, floods, and winter storms. Select sub-scenarios for targeted preparation advice.

Updated

Organized pantry shelves with emergency food storage including canned goods, sealed containers, and labeled glass jars

Best Foods for Long-Term Emergency Storage

Natural Disasters

Most emergency food spoils faster than the expiration date suggests. Find out which shelf-stable staples actually last decades and keep your family fed.

food shortagesnatural disasters
Beginner
9 min
SUV with open trunk showing organized winter emergency supplies against snowy backdrop

Essential Winter Car Emergency Kit Checklist

Natural Disasters: Winter Storm

AAA handles 7 million winter rescue calls yearly—most from unprepared drivers. Build a kit that keeps you safe when snow turns dangerous.

winter stormno fueltransport
Beginner
8 min
Family preparing winter emergency kit while snow falls outside their living room window

Quick Winter Storm Evacuation Checklist

Natural Disasters: Winter Storm

Most winter storm deaths happen during evacuation, not sheltering in place. This checklist helps you evacuate safely when seconds count.

winter stormno fueltransport
Beginner
10 min
SUV safely pulled over on snowy highway shoulder, driver inside checking emergency supplies with hazard lights on

How to Safely Stay Warm in a Stranded Vehicle

Natural Disasters: Winter Storm

Running your engine continuously in a snowstorm can kill you faster than the cold. Essential strategies for surviving when your car becomes your shelter.

winter stormno fueltransport
Beginner
9 min
Mechanic using digital multimeter to test car battery in winter garage setting

Winter Vehicle Battery Care and Maintenance

Natural Disasters: Winter Storm

Your battery loses 50% cranking power at 0°F while your engine demands twice the energy. Strategic testing and maintenance prevent dead-battery mornings.

winter stormno fueltransport
Intermediate
13 min
Family reviewing winter emergency plan at kitchen table with snow visible through window

How to Create a Backup Power Plan for Winter Storms

Natural Disasters: Winter Storm

Most backup power plans fail within the first 12 hours. Build a winter outage strategy that works through multi-day blackouts when temperatures plummet.

winter stormshelter in placepower grid failure
Intermediate
15 min
SUV safely navigating snowy highway with emergency kit visible, showing proper winter driving preparation

Complete Winter Vehicle Emergency Guide

Natural Disasters: Winter Storm

70% of winter weather deaths happen in vehicles, not outdoors. Build the preparation system that keeps your family alive when stranded.

winter stormno fueltransport
Intermediate
15 min
Family reviewing winter emergency supplies in organized basement while snow falls outside

Top 10 Winter Storm Preparation Mistakes

Natural Disasters: Winter Storm

Most hypothermia deaths happen indoors, not outside. Avoid the ten critical heating, water, and safety mistakes that turn winter storms deadly.

winter stormno heatshelter in place
Beginner
10 min
Family of four organizing emergency water storage containers in their kitchen

Emergency Water Storage Guide

Natural Disasters

Most households have less than 24 hours of drinkable water stored. This guide shows exactly how much you need and the smartest ways to store it.

no clean waternatural disasters
Beginner
10 min
Family checking refrigerator thermometer by lantern light during power outage

Food Storage During Power Outages

Natural Disasters

Your refrigerator becomes a ticking clock the moment power fails. Learn the critical 4-hour window and science-backed strategies to protect your family's food supply.

power grid failurenatural disasters
Beginner
7 min
Split view of wildfire smoke approaching neighborhood and family watching safely from inside their home

Ultimate Guide to Wildfire Air Quality Protection

Natural Disasters: Wildfire

Wildfire smoke harms you indoors, miles from flames. Protect your family with air quality monitoring, filtration strategies, and emergency breathing protection.

wildfireshelter in placenatural disasters
Beginner
10 min
Family reviewing emergency contact list by lantern light while snow falls outside

Winter Storm Communications Backup Plan

Natural Disasters: Winter Storm

Cell networks fail within hours of severe winter storms, leaving families separated and anxious. Simple backup plans reconnect you when smartphones go dark.

winter stormcommsinternet down
Beginner
10 min
Family playing cards by lantern light during power outage, emergency supplies nearby

Complete Power Outage Survival Guide

Natural Disasters

Most power outages last under 4 hours, yet most people prepare for the wrong scenario. This guide shows what actually keeps families safe and comfortable.

no heatpower grid failurenatural disasters
Beginner
9 min
Family reviewing emergency heating equipment and supplies in organized garage setting

Emergency Heat Calculator: How Much Backup Heat You Need

Natural Disasters: Winter Storm

Most backup heating systems are oversized by 40%. Calculate your actual BTU requirements using zone heating principles that cut costs without sacrificing safety.

winter stormno heatnatural disasters
Intermediate
15 min
Family reviewing air purifier manual in living room with orange hazy sky visible through window

Air Purifier Sizing Calculator for Wildfire Smoke

Natural Disasters: Wildfire

Most air purifiers fail during wildfire smoke because they're undersized. Calculate the exact capacity your space needs to maintain safe indoor air quality.

wildfireshelter in placenatural disasters
Intermediate
15 min
Aerial view of home with three distinct defensible space zones showing proper wildfire preparedness

Complete Home Wildfire Defense Guide

Natural Disasters: Wildfire

Most homes ignite from embers, not flames—yet homeowners protect against the wrong threat. Learn the defense strategies that actually stop wildfires.

wildfireshelter in placeevacuate quickly
Beginner
10 min
Split view comparing secured vs unsecured bookcase during earthquake - one toppled, one safely anchored

How to Secure Heavy Furniture for Earthquakes

Natural Disasters: Earthquake

Standing furniture killed more people than collapsed walls in the Northridge earthquake. Practical anchoring methods that prevent toppling during seismic events.

earthquakeshelter in placenatural disasters
Intermediate
16 min
Aerial view of home with three marked defensible space zones showing proper vegetation management

Creating a Wildfire Defensible Space: Step-by-Step Guide

Natural Disasters: Wildfire

Most homes lost to wildfires had defensible space—but it was done wrong. This step-by-step guide shows the critical differences that actually protect your property.

wildfireshelter in placenatural disasters
Beginner
11 min
Home inspector in safety gear examining earthquake damage to house foundation

Post-Earthquake Home Inspection Guide

Natural Disasters: Earthquake

Most homeowners enter too soon after earthquakes, risking injury from aftershocks. This guide prioritizes your safety while systematically assessing structural damage.

earthquakeshelter in placenatural disasters
Intermediate
20 min
Family organizing water storage containers in kitchen with snowy window view

How to Store Emergency Water for Winter Storms

Natural Disasters: Winter Storm

Your municipal water can fail even when pipes don't freeze. A friendly guide to storing emergency water before winter storms hit.

winter stormno clean waternatural disasters
Beginner
9 min
Split view comparing outdoor generator safety and indoor power station use during winter storm

Generator vs. Power Station: Which is Best for Winter Outages?

Natural Disasters: Winter Storm

Most winter backup plans fail in the first six hours. Compare generators against power stations using real capacity math, runtime data, and cold-weather performance metrics.

winter stormno heatpower grid failure
Intermediate
15 min
Fire-resistant landscape with succulents and gravel paths around modern home, mountains in background

Fire-Resistant Plants: What to Grow in Wildfire Zones

Natural Disasters: Wildfire

Some homes survived the Caldor Fire while neighbors burned. The difference: strategically placed fire-resistant plants creating defensible space that actually works.

wildfireshelter in placenatural disasters
Intermediate
16 min
Family calmly loading emergency go-bags into SUV during evacuation, distant wildfire smoke visible

15-Minute Wildfire Evacuation Checklist

Natural Disasters: Wildfire

Most people waste 12 of their 15 evacuation minutes deciding what to grab. This step-by-step checklist eliminates the guesswork and panic.

wildfireevacuate quicklynatural disasters
Beginner
10 min
Family of four organizing emergency supplies in garage with labeled containers and supplies on folding table

Earthquake Supply Kit Essentials

Natural Disasters: Earthquake

Earthquakes strike all 50 states, not just California. Emergency responders may take days to reach you—here's what you actually need to survive independently.

earthquakeno clean waterevacuate quickly
Beginner
10 min
Split view comparing safe and unsafe earthquake locations in home, with safety indicators

10 Earthquake-Safe Spots in Your Home

Natural Disasters: Earthquake

Doorways aren't safe during earthquakes—that's outdated advice. Find the 10 spots in your home that actually protect you when shaking starts.

earthquakeshelter in placenatural disasters
Beginner
10 min
Family working together to secure bookshelf to wall while identifying earthquake hazards in living room

Complete Earthquake Home Safety Guide

Natural Disasters: Earthquake

Most earthquake injuries happen at home from falling objects, not collapsed buildings. This room-by-room guide shows you exactly what to secure first.

earthquakeshelter in placeevacuate quickly
Beginner
8 min
Split view of suburban street: normal day vs. flooded with water depth markers at 6 and 12 inches

Complete Flood Preparedness and Recovery Guide

Natural Disasters: Flood

Six inches of moving water can knock you down. One foot can sweep away your SUV. Learn what actually protects your family during floods.

floodno clean waterevacuate quickly
Beginner
10 min
Family reviewing winter storm checklist while organizing emergency supplies in cozy living room with snow visible outside

Complete Winter Storm Home Preparedness Guide

Natural Disasters: Winter Storm

70% of winter storm deaths happen in vehicles, not homes. Learn the preparation steps that keep your family safe when weather turns dangerous.

winter stormno heatshelter in place
Beginner
8 min
Family checking dates on emergency water containers in organized garage storage area

How Much Drinking Water to Store for Emergencies Calculator

Natural Disasters: Hurricane

Most families store barely 12 hours of emergency water. This calculator shows exactly how much your household actually needs—and where to keep it.

hurricaneno clean waternatural disasters
Beginner
11 min
Split view comparing protected and unprotected pipes in winter conditions

How to Prevent Pipes from Freezing: A Beginner's Guide

Natural Disasters: Winter Storm

Frozen pipes cause $5 billion in damage annually, yet most homeowners miss the simple prevention steps. Protect your home before temperatures drop.

winter stormno heatnatural disasters
Beginner
8 min
Family organizing winter emergency supplies with battery-powered lantern while snow falls outside

Winter Power Outage Survival: Essential Items Checklist

Natural Disasters: Winter Storm

Most people's winter emergency plans fail within the first two hours of a power outage. This checklist covers the survival essentials you actually need.

winter stormno heatpower grid failure
Beginner
8 min

Ready to stock up? See our Natural Disasters kits.

What is the difference between a weather watch and a warning?

A watch means conditions are favorable for a hazard, so get ready; a warning means the hazard is happening or imminent, so act. In the definitions published by the National Weather Service's New York office, watches go out up to 72 hours ahead with forecaster confidence around 50 percent. Warnings come up to 48 hours ahead, with confidence of at least 80 percent. Severe thunderstorm, tornado and flash flood alerts move much faster, with watches issued hours ahead and warnings sometimes only minutes ahead. During a tornado watch, review your plan and check your supplies and safe room. During a tornado warning, go to an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building, away from windows.

How should our household receive severe weather alerts?

Use more than one channel, so a single failure does not leave you uninformed. Wireless Emergency Alerts reach enabled phones in the targeted area for free, without signing up, and are not affected by network congestion. NOAA Weather Radio broadcasts warnings, watches and forecasts from your nearest National Weather Service office around the clock. The FEMA App sends National Weather Service alerts for up to five locations, which helps when relatives live elsewhere. Sign up for your county's alerts too, since local emergency managers share shelter locations and other safety updates. BeAware can also monitor alerts for your home address.

What should a basic disaster supply kit include?

Cover water, food, light, communication, first aid and the tools to shelter in place. Ready.gov's basic list starts with a gallon of water for each person for each day, enough for several days, and a several-day supply of non-perishable food. It adds a battery-powered or hand-crank radio, a flashlight, extra batteries, a first aid kit and a whistle. Round it out with a dust mask, plastic sheeting, tape, a wrench for shutting off utilities, a manual can opener, local maps and phone chargers. Then add what your own household needs: prescriptions, glasses, infant and pet supplies, and copies of key documents. Pack it in one or two easy-to-carry containers and review it every year.

Sources

  • Watch Warning Advisory Definitions, National Weather Service (New York, NY office). Watch: conditions favorable, issued up to 72 hours ahead at about 50 percent confidence; warning: imminent or occurring, up to 48 hours ahead at 80 percent or more; thunderstorm, tornado and flash flood products have lead times of hours or minutes.
  • What is the difference between a Tornado Watch, a Tornado Warning and a Tornado Emergency?, National Weather Service. Tornado watch: review plans, check supplies and safe room; tornado warning: interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building, avoid windows.
  • Emergency Alerts, Ready.gov (FEMA). WEAs are free, need no subscription, reach phones in a targeted area, and are not affected by network congestion; NOAA Weather Radio broadcasts 24/7 from the nearest NWS office; FEMA App alerts for up to five locations.
  • Evacuation, Ready.gov (FEMA). Know your local risks; sign up for alerts from local emergency management, which share shelter locations and safety information.
  • Build A Kit, Ready.gov (FEMA). Basic disaster supplies kit list; additional items such as prescriptions, glasses, infant and pet supplies, documents; one or two easy-to-carry containers; update every year.