The Disaster-Ready Home

Prepare for disaster.

Harsh weather, the pandemic, wildfires and infrastructure-related emergencies underscore the importance of having a plan for surviving disasters that could leave you without electricity or water.

When the COVID-19 pandemic generated a widespread lack of goods and services, many people learned the hard way that they were not prepared to shelter in place. 

Assemble and maintain a long-term food storage pantry.

You can prepare to live off the grid for as long as a year.If you follow a sound storage strategy, you can stockpile sufficient food to last that long. However, a one-year plan calls for storing a lot of food, so modify the time frame according to your circumstances. The size of your food inventory depends on the time span you want to cover and how many people you must feed in your family or group. Begin with short-term contingency planning, then expand.

Set aside a storage space that is protected against sunlight, heat, moisture and pests. It should be easily accessible, with sufficient lighting, sturdy shelving and an electrical outlet.

 Organize your food cache into three “...