Security 

& 

Safety

• During disasters, crime rates often spike due to desperation and lack of law enforcement.

• A locked door is not a significant deterrent to looters if they believe a home has valuable supplies.

• 911 services may be overwhelmed or unavailable for extended periods.

• Flashlights and candles at night can signal your presence to outsiders.

• Most home invasions occur through doors and first-floor windows.

Water Supply

• The average person needs at least one gallon of water per day for drinking and sanitation.

• Water from hot water heaters, pipes, and toilet tanks (not bowls) can be used in emergencies.

• After 3 days without water, dehydration begins to cause severe health issues.

• Water from rain barrels, ponds, or pools must be purified before drinking.

• A 55-gallon drum of water can last one person approximately two months.

Food storage

• Canned food can last decades if stored properly, even past its expiration date.

• Freeze-dried foods retain 97% of their nutrients and can last 25+ years.

• Without refrigeration, fresh meat spoils within 4-6 hours in warm conditions.

• The average American household has less than a week’s worth of food at any given time.

• Cooking indoors with propane or charcoal without ventilation can cause carbon monoxide poisoning.

Power

&

Energy

• A full refrigerator keeps food cold for about 4 hours without power.

• A full freezer stays frozen for 48 hours (24 hours if half-full).

• Solar panels generate power but require battery storage for nighttime use.

• Gasoline degrades within 3-6 months without a stabilizer like Sta-Bil.

• Hand-crank and solar-powered radios do not rely on electricity or batteries.

Medical &

First Aid

• Antibiotics like amoxicillin lose 10-20% effectiveness per year past expiration.

• Insulin and some medications require refrigeration to remain viable.

• Infections from untreated wounds can develop within 24-48 hours.

• Human waste disposal becomes a major disease risk after 3 days without sanitation.

• After a major disaster, hospitals may be unable to accept new patients for days or weeks.

Communications

• Cell towers can fail within 1-2 days without power backup.

• Satellite phones remain operational even when local infrastructure collapses.

• Emergency radio stations (NOAA, AM/FM) are often the last source of official information.

• CB radios and ham radios can transmit over dozens to hundreds of miles depending on conditions.

• Social media can become unreliable due to misinformation and lack of fact-checking.

sanitation 

&

waste Management

• Human waste attracts rodents and insects within 12-24 hours.

• Flushing toilets may stop working if water pressure drops or sewage systems fail.

• Without trash pickup, garbage accumulation leads to disease outbreaks within a week.

• Cholera, dysentery, and typhoid can spread quickly when sanitation fails.

• A gallon of bleach can disinfect hundreds of gallons of drinking water when diluted properly.

Climate Considerations

• In extreme cold, hypothermia can set in within minutes if wet or improperly dressed.

• Heat exhaustion occurs when the body's core temperature exceeds 104°F (40°C).

• Stagnant, humid air indoors can lead to mold growth within 48 hours.

• Firewood takes 6-12 months to dry properly before burning efficiently.

• Candles and oil lamps significantly increase the risk of house fires.

Mental 

& Emotional Prepardness

• After 72 hours without external information, people experience higher levels of stress and paranoia.

• Long-term isolation can cause depression, anxiety, and reduced cognitive function.

• Boredom and lack of mental stimulation increase survival fatigue.

• People in disaster situations tend to make riskier decisions when fatigued.

• Children and pets often experience extreme stress due to disrupted routines and lack of structure.

backup plans & Adaptability

• Most disasters last less than two weeks, but long-term events like economic collapse or societal breakdown can last years.

• Emergency services prioritize hospitals, government facilities, and infrastructure over private homes.

• 70% of people fail to evacuate when first advised, leading to last-minute chaos.

• The average urban grocery store runs out of food within 24-48 hours during a disaster.

• Once gasoline stations run dry, refueling may not be possible for weeks or months.