Safety disclaimer
LEGAL REVIEW NEEDED: draft text, not yet reviewed by a solicitor. Do not publish until Marc signs it off.
The short version
This site is general preparedness information for UK and US households, built from official sources. It is not personal, medical, legal, insurance or engineering advice. In an emergency, call 999 in the UK or 911 in the US, and follow your local authorities.
Official warnings come first
If an official warning or instruction conflicts with anything here, the official one wins. That includes flood warnings and evacuation orders, Met Office and National Weather Service alerts, and instructions from the fire, police and ambulance services. In the UK, check GOV.UK flood warnings and the Met Office. In the US, check weather.gov and your county or state emergency management office.
What the checklists are
- A starting point, written for a typical household of four. Your home, health, budget and local risk will differ. Quantities and costs are planning ranges, not quotes.
- Each action names the source and the date we read it. Rules, deadlines and waiting periods, such as the 30-day wait on US flood insurance, can change. Check the linked source before you rely on a date.
- Reviewed on the date shown at the top of each page. A page can be out of date the day after.
What they are not
- Not medical advice. If anyone in your household depends on medication, oxygen, a powered device or refrigerated treatment, talk to your clinician and your energy supplier or utility about a plan that fits them.
- Not a guarantee. Following a checklist does not make a home safe from flooding, wind, snow, ice or loss of power.
- Not an instruction to stay or go. Evacuation and shelter decisions belong to the people who can see the situation where you are.
Staying safe while you prepare
- Never run a petrol or diesel generator, camping stove, barbecue or heater indoors, in a garage or near a window. Carbon monoxide kills. Fit a carbon monoxide alarm.
- Do not walk or drive through flood water. It can hide hazards and be contaminated.
- Keep away from fallen power lines and report them to the network operator or the emergency services.
- Do not touch electrics or gas supplies if you are standing in water or the installation is wet. Use a qualified person.
Affiliate links do not change safety advice
A commission never changes what we tell you to do. See the affiliate disclosure.
Liability
We take care, and we fix mistakes publicly on the corrections page. The site is provided as is. Nothing here excludes liability that cannot be excluded by law, including for death or personal injury caused by negligence. See also the terms of use.