Free hurricane checklist

Works in its favor

• Inverter output is the right kind of power for phones, routers, and medical devices
• Quiet and fuel-efficient compared with an open-frame generator of the same watts
• Light enough for one person to move, which matters when you are staging it 20 feet from the house

Know this first

• It will not run central air or a large well pump
• It still produces carbon monoxide. Never run it in a garage, carport, or under a window
• Honda inverter pricing sits well above no-name units

Works in its favor

• Inverter power in the wattage most households actually need for a multi-day outage
• Stackable design lets you add capacity later instead of overbuying now
• Lower purchase price than the Honda class of inverter

Know this first

• Same carbon-monoxide rules as any gasoline generator
• Two thousand watts is a ceiling, not a suggestion. A window air conditioner plus a fridge can trip it
• You still need fuel, a heavy outdoor cord, and a plan for rain

Works in its favor

• Food-grade HDPE, with a spigot, beats a row of milk jugs
• Seven gallons is a meaningful share of a household's drinking water
• Stacks and stores in a closet when the season is quiet

Know this first

• Full, it weighs about 58 pounds. Five-gallon jugs are easier to carry
• You still have to refill and date it. Water stored in your own container should be replaced every six months
• One jug is not a seven-day supply for a family

Works in its favor

• Uses a tub you already have, so you are not storing 100 gallons year-round
• Includes a hand pump for getting water back out
• Cheap relative to the volume

Know this first

• Treat this water before drinking. It is for flushing, washing, and cleaning
• You need a bathtub. A shower stall does not work
• Fill it before landfall. It does nothing if you wait until the water is already off

Works in its favor

• Hard case plus a smaller kit you can move to the go-bag
• Hundreds of pieces, so you are not down to two bandages on day two
• Organized enough that someone else can find gauze in the dark

Know this first

• A consumer kit is not a trauma kit and does not include your prescriptions
• Check dates every season. Adhesive and medications age out
• The case is bulky for a one-night evacuation bag

Works in its favor

• Covers the common cuts, scrapes, and over-the-counter basics
• Small enough for a closet shelf or a trunk
• Lower price than the two-part case

Know this first

• You will run out faster with more than two people
• Still not a substitute for a 14-day supply of prescription medication
• Contents vary by production run. Open it and look before you rely on it