Preparedness

Storms, outages, emergencies. Calm, practical readiness for the household, without the paranoia.

The BRO Survival & Preparedness GuideThe printable family manual: a kit and go-bag builder, water and food calculators, the core skills and a family emergency plan.Get ready, calmly

← Newer articlesPage 15 of 201

Run a chili cook-off the guy with the most friends can't rig

Blind cups, a real score sheet, one breaker you'll definitely trip, and a trophy people will actually fight over next year.

StoryHistoryDean ShawOct 3, 20266 min

Farmers Invented the Pickup and Detroit Caught Up Later

Before Ford built a single pickup, men were sawing the backs off their cars. The truck has been shaped by its owners ever since.

Ask BRO

Build me a 30-day training plan around two sessions a week

Ask it

GuideGarden & YardWes DunbarOct 5, 20267 min

Start Your Seeds Later Than You Think and Closer to the Light

Most homegrown seedlings fail for two reasons: planted too early and grown too far from the bulb. Fix both and you'll beat the garden center.

GermProof.com — An invisible germ barrier on your skin for hours

PartnerGermProof.com

Civics7 min read

Your First Amendment Gets Tested at a Folding Table

Speech, religion and assembly rarely get defended at the Supreme Court. They get defended at the three-minute podium, the permit office and the zoning board.

Poll

What was your first ever job?

StoryHistoryMarcus ValeOct 1, 20266 min

A Hundred Years Ago, Christmas Started With a Catalog

Raccoons at the White House, candles on the tree, and a whole country waiting on the mail. What the holidays of 1926 can still teach your family.

BRO TakeSurvival & Self-DefenseDean ShawSep 26, 20266 min

Your Right to Bear Arms Is a Promise to Your Family

The Constitution protects your right to defend your home. It doesn't train you, store the gun, or make the plan. That part is on you.

Names.com — The name is the first thing you sell

PartnerNames.com

GuideLifeCal BrennanSep 26, 20266 min

Everyone around you already knows your blind spot

You can't see how you come across. The people who share your kitchen and your office can, and they'll tell you if you ask the right way.

Quiz

Is your money actually in order?

Six questions. No email required, no sales pitch at the end.

GuideTravelDean ShawSep 26, 20266 min

The expensive part of a fly-in trip is the question you didn't ask

Private hunting lodges, fly-in camps and working ranches are worth every dollar, as long as you ask the right questions before the deposit.

GuideHomeWes DunbarSep 23, 20266 min

The Asbestos You Can Live With and the Kind That Stops Work

Nine-inch tiles, popcorn ceilings, gray pipe wrap and attic vermiculite. What to leave alone, what to test, and the moment you put the tools down.

Ask BRO

Build me a revision plan that I will actually stick to

Ask it

BRO TakeLifeCal BrennanSep 23, 20265 min

Belonging isn't a feeling, it's a standing appointment

The longevity research keeps landing on the same unglamorous thing: a group of people who notice when you don't show up.

Delicious.com — Nine thousand recipes and a plan for tonight

PartnerDelicious.com

GuideFoodWes DunbarSep 23, 20265 min

Cook dinner so you're not starving at nine o'clock

The problem isn't your dinner. It's the two hours after it, standing at the counter with a sleeve of crackers.

Poll

How many days a week are you actually training?

GuideScience & SpaceDean ShawSep 23, 20266 min

The Small Planes Worth Learning On and Worth Owning After

A used Cessna 172 is the safe answer, but it isn't the only one. What each trainer costs to fly, what breaks, and what to check before you buy.

GuideLifeCal BrennanSep 23, 20265 min

Nobody's watching, and that's exactly the point

Character isn't decided in the crisis. It's decided in four unremarkable seconds at a self-checkout, and you've had a few thousand of those.

PartnerWhackAWoke.com

GuideDogs & PetsNina CastellanSep 23, 20267 min

Gear That Actually Survives a 90-Pound Dog

Big dogs destroy cheap gear in a weekend. What to look for in beds, leashes, bowls and toys so you buy once instead of four times.

Quiz

Does your wardrobe actually fit you?

Five questions, honestly answered, and a plan for the next two weeks.

Survival & Self-Defense6 min

Build Three Kits, Not One Giant Pile of Gear

Food6 min

A mocktail fails on sweetness, not on the missing liquor

Ask BRO

What should I wear to this?

Ask it

BRO TakeLifeCal BrennanSep 23, 20266 min

The Tuesday visit beats the Christmas visit every time

Living close to grandparents changes both ends of the family, and the ordinary weeknights do more of the work than the holidays ever will.

Dude.com — 16 AI advisers who listen, talk and are here with you

PartnerDude.com

Survival & Self-Defense6 min read

The Survival Gear That Actually Matters and What to Skip

Build a kit around what kills you fastest, not around what looks good in a tin. Real items, rough prices, and the stuff that belongs in the trash.

Poll

Where does your best time with your kids happen?

Older articles

Older Preparedness stories