This morning my feed was filled with Aussie wildfire stories, where the smoke from the ongoing bush fires is so thick that it’s very much a scene from a dystopian movie. The Guardian describes a haze over Sydney that’s 11 times the threshold for “hazardous,” as “buildings were evacuated regularly as fire alarms were triggered
Skepticism about “smart home” tech is widespread in prepping circles, and often rationally so — we get that the idea of turning your home into a digital Panopticon full of cameras, microphones, and other sensors connected to distant, faceless, and often untrustworthy corporations (and maybe even governments) creeps some people out. But we believe there
Netflix’s new 40-minute documentary, Fire in Paradise, gives an inside look at the experiences of residents and first responders who lived through the notorious 2018 Camp Fire. Some of the documentary’s subjects bugged in, while others bugged out, but all of their stories provide valuable lessons for preparedness-minded people. The Camp Fire was the deadliest
After we spent part of the summer of 2017 on the brink of a nuclear war with North Korea (no, really, there’s a book about that moment called On the Brink), I put together a solid Twitter collection of DPRK watchers and analysts that I could follow for up-to-the-minute, non-fear-mongering analysis and news of the
More than 9,100 stores are closing in 2019 as the retail apocalypse drags on — here’s the full list: “The staggering rate of store closures that rocked the retail industry over the past couple of years is expected to continue in 2019, with more closures expected this year. Retailers closed a record 102 million square
The situation in Iran — a critical part of the global oil supply and a major cyber-adversary of the US — bears watching, and there have been a number of new developments this month. On the nuclear front, IAEA officials have accused Iran of failing to cooperate with a probe into the alleged 2018 discovery
The World Health Organization has declared the week of November 18 to be World Antibiotic Awareness Week 2019, and they’ve set up a resources page where you can learn more about the threat that antibiotic resistance poses and how you can do your part to fight it. The bulk of the informational material is in
From the Firefighter Safety Research Institute comes a reminder that in the event of a house fire you should be ready to bug out in three minutes or less. Due to synthetic materials, furniture, and open floor plans, we have 3 minutes or less to escape a house fire. Make sure all #smokealarms are working
I went into “Blackout” with high hopes. Academy Award winner Rami Malek’s new podcast about a family struggling to survive a national grid-down in the middle of winter in New Hampshire seemed tailor made for me. I loved Malek in “Mr. Robot”, and threats to the electrical grid are one of the main beats I
Here’s a roundup of some of the bigger stories out there of interest to preparedness-minded readers. If we’ve missed any vital links, please let us know in the comments. Hong Kong on the edge The situtation in Hong Kong escalated sharply this week, as the protests turned violent. Some key developments: CNBC Beijing Bureau Chief
Data privacy is a concern to many preppers, and some even take measures — like traveling with a burner phone or laptop — to prevent border authorities from rummaging through their devices when traveling internationally. In recent years, some have even referred to the US border as a “constitution-free zone” because citizens returning home, such
Hollow-handled “Rambo” knives are one of those common purchases people pick up on the cheap. Maybe they saw some positive reviews on Amazon and thought to themselves, “it’s only $10, so even if it’s not great and doesn’t last, no biggie.” But those knives are dangerous and shouldn’t even be used as a “beater” or
Like everyone else on the internet, I am by turns inspired and terrified by the viral videos of the amazingly agile robots from Boston Dynamics and MIT. I share these clips with my kids, hoping to inspire one of them to pursue a career in STEM, and while we’re watching them I ask, in a
A new paper published in the journal Environmental Research Letters maps the flow of food (both domestically produced and imported) between US counties, identifying nine “core counties for the US food supply” that are the most critical nodes in our food distribution network. The authors write that “a disruption to any of these counties may
Summary: We’re blogging more often (what would you like us to cover?) and removed Disqus for on-site comments (you’ll now have an account directly with TP). Since launching, The Prepared has focused on deep, detailed articles around topics like gear reviews, survival skills, beginner checklists, and emergency scenario guides. We spend time testing products, interviewing
