“Grid down” refers to a loss of traditional infrastructure—power, internet, and cellular service. In these situations, texting and calling may not work. Even short outages can create panic when families can’t check in with each other. Prepared families and teams plan ahead. Unlike traditional radios that rely on repeaters or internet-connected systems, LoRa (Long Range) radios operate on low power and can transmit text-based messages miles away. When paired with Meshtastic firmware, these...

Cold and wet will humble a man faster than just about anything in the woods. You can be tough. You can be experienced. But when your hands are numb, your clothes are soaked, and the wind won’t quit, fire stops being comfort and starts becoming survival. In cold, wet conditions, your mission is simple: Get dry fuel. Get flame. Protect both. 1. Think Shelter First Before you ever strike a spark, give that fire a fighting chance. Find natural cover — the downwind side of a ridge, under thick...

When trouble hits, confusion follows close behind. Storms roll in fast here in Kentucky. Power lines fall. Cell towers go down. Roads flood. And when that happens, families don’t rise to the level of their hopes — they fall to the level of their preparation. That’s where PACE planning comes in. PACE stands for: Primary Alternate Contingency Emergency It’s a layered planning system used in military and emergency management circles, but it works just as well around the kitchen table. And for...