Articles
Every cairn we have published, most recent first.
Each cairn is written to be read cold, by someone who has never heard of us, in the middle of the situation it's about. They're free to print, forward, and share. More are being written.
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The First Hour of a Power Outage
What to do in the first hour after the power goes out, before you know whether it will last one hour or two days.
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The two-person check-in
A small, regular conversation between two people who look out for each other — designed to catch trouble before it gets big.
Still being stacked
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When the water is rising
What to do when flooding is hours or minutes away, how to read the water, and the line between staying and leaving.
Still being stacked
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Wildfire smoke for days or weeks
How to keep the air in one room of your home breathable when the smoke outside isn't going anywhere for a while.
Still being stacked
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Someone in the house is sick
Household isolation that actually reduces spread, and the warning signs that mean stop managing this at home and go in.
Still being stacked
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A heat wave with no AC
How to keep a body cool when the apartment can't be — and how to know when heat has become a medical emergency.
Still being stacked
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Evacuation in twenty minutes
What to grab and what to leave behind when you have to be out the door soon, in the order that makes sense under stress.
Still being stacked
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When the ground stops shaking
What a Pacific Northwest household will face in the hours and weeks after a Cascadia earthquake, and what to plan for now.
Still being stacked
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The cell network is down
What still works when the cell network is out, how to reach the people you need, and when to stop trying.
Still being stacked
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When the toilet stops flushing
How to handle human waste safely when the sewer fails — a method translated from established public-health guidance.
Still being stacked
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A boil-water notice
What a boil-water notice actually means, what to do for the next few days, and how to know it's safe to drink again.
Still being stacked
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The “if I'm not here” folder
The single folder a household member can find that tells them what they'll need if you're suddenly not there.
Still being stacked
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You've just been in a car accident
What to do in the first half hour after a car accident, the words to say at the scene, and what to handle in the next forty-eight hours.
Still being stacked
If there's a situation you wish a plain, clear page had existed for, you can tell us. We're not writing on request, but suggestions help us see where the trail is unmarked.