When Hurricane Helene Grazed Clearwater: A Lesson in Backup Plans
Hurricane Helene came close enough to fry two UPS units, two TVs, and my internet speed. Here is what the near miss taught me about being ready.
Series: Survival
A series on real-world survival and disaster preparedness, drawn from living through hurricanes, wildfires, and earthquakes: how to get genuinely ready for the bad day without letting fear of it run your life.
SurvivalBracing for Hurricane Milton While Cleaning Up After Helene
With Milton strengthening in the Gulf days after Helene, I ran my whole preparedness checklist again. Here is exactly what I did to get ready.
SurvivalPreparing for a Category 5: My Hurricane Milton Experience and Advice
Milton reached Category 5 with 155 mph winds. Drawing on decades of disasters, here is my complete preparation routine and why pets belong at the center.
SurvivalHurricane Milton Was Truly Frightening: The Aftermath
Milton dropped a record 14.5 inches of rain and spawned two dozen tornadoes. Here is the firsthand aftermath and what it confirmed about readiness.
SurvivalFacing Hurricane Irma: 7 Lessons in Storm Survival
September 2017: the forecast confirmed Irma was coming straight for my corner of Florida, and we had days to get ready. I had ridden out storms before, but this one's numbers were ugly. Here are seven hard-earned lessons from preparing…
SurvivalThe Fire Jumped the Road Behind Me. I Had Nothing in the Car.
Fire on both sides of the road, and when I looked back it had jumped behind me. Years of camping experience and nothing in the car that helped.
SurvivalI Climbed Out of That Canyon at Eight at Night
Breathless at the top of a canyon at eight at night, explaining to a fireman named Kurt what had happened and where my father was.
SurvivalI Raised the Alarm on Pandemic Preparation. I Got Laughed Out of the Room.
I wrote this book because I'm angry. Angry that the information is available to anyone who looks and almost nobody in authority acts on it.
SurvivalHurricane Season: Do It Now, Because You Cannot Do It Later
Everything you need for a hurricane is on a shelf right now. The day it lands on the news, the water aisle is empty and the gas lines are around the block. Decide now whether you are leaving or staying,…
SurvivalFlorida Hurricane Prep Rituals: The Grocery Run, the Water Pallet and the Generator in the Box
When the cone points at your house, Florida performs the same rituals every storm: the grocery run, the water pallet brawl, the generator still in its box and the flashlights that leaked years ago. Here's the funny version, and how…
SurvivalLayers: How I Ride Out Florida Power Outages in My Apartment
Every critical need in my Clearwater apartment has a primary and at least one backup: a UPS on every device, phone tethering, sixteen self-switching night lights, a propane camp stove and a reliable car. When Hurricane Milton cut the power…