During disasters, crime rates often spike due to desperation and lack of law enforcement.
A locked door is not a significant deterrent to looters if they believe a home has valuable supplies.
911 services may be overwhelmed or unavailable for extended periods.
Flashlights and candles at night can signal your presence to outsiders.
Most home invasions occur through doors and first-floor windows.
The average person needs at least one gallon of water per day for drinking and sanitation.
Water from hot water heaters, pipes, and toilet tanks (not bowls) can be used in emergencies.
After 3 days without water, dehydration begins to cause severe health issues.
Water from rain barrels, ponds, or pools must be purified before drinking.
A 55-gallon drum of water can last one person approximately two months.
Canned food can last decades if stored properly, even past its expiration date.
Freeze-dried foods retain 97% of their nutrients and can last 25+ years.
Without refrigeration, fresh meat spoils within 4-6 hours in warm conditions.
The average American household has less than a week’s worth of food at any given time.
Cooking indoors with propane or charcoal without ventilation can cause carbon monoxide poisoning.
A full refrigerator keeps food cold for about 4 hours without power.
A full freezer stays frozen for 48 hours (24 hours if half-full).
Solar panels generate power but require battery storage for nighttime use.
Gasoline degrades within 3-6 months without a stabilizer like Sta-Bil.
Hand-crank and solar-powered radios do not rely on electricity or batteries.
Antibiotics like amoxicillin lose 10-20% effectiveness per year past expiration.
Insulin and some medications require refrigeration to remain viable.
Infections from untreated wounds can develop within 24-48 hours.
Human waste disposal becomes a major disease risk after 3 days without sanitation.
After a major disaster, hospitals may be unable to accept new patients for days or weeks.
Cell towers can fail within 1-2 days without power backup.
Satellite phones remain operational even when local infrastructure collapses.
Emergency radio stations (NOAA, AM/FM) are often the last source of official information.
CB radios and ham radios can transmit over dozens to hundreds of miles depending on conditions.
Social media can become unreliable due to misinformation and lack of fact-checking.
Human waste attracts rodents and insects within 12-24 hours.
Flushing toilets may stop working if water pressure drops or sewage systems fail.
Without trash pickup, garbage accumulation leads to disease outbreaks within a week.
Cholera, dysentery, and typhoid can spread quickly when sanitation fails.
A gallon of bleach can disinfect hundreds of gallons of drinking water when diluted properly.
In extreme cold, hypothermia can set in within minutes if wet or improperly dressed.
Heat exhaustion occurs when the body's core temperature exceeds 104°F (40°C).
Stagnant, humid air indoors can lead to mold growth within 48 hours.
Firewood takes 6-12 months to dry properly before burning efficiently.
Candles and oil lamps significantly increase the risk of house fires.
After 72 hours without external information, people experience higher levels of stress and paranoia.
Long-term isolation can cause depression, anxiety, and reduced cognitive function.
Boredom and lack of mental stimulation increase survival fatigue.
People in disaster situations tend to make riskier decisions when fatigued.
Children and pets often experience extreme stress due to disrupted routines and lack of structure.
Most disasters last less than two weeks, but long-term events like economic collapse or societal breakdown can last years.
Emergency services prioritize hospitals, government facilities, and infrastructure over private homes.
70% of people fail to evacuate when first advised, leading to last-minute chaos.
The average urban grocery store runs out of food within 24-48 hours during a disaster.
Once gasoline stations run dry, refueling may not be possible for weeks or months.
Our Other Work
Society wasn’t built for everyone—but some refuse to accept that fate. Tread on the System is a powerful exposé on the systemic challenges faced by disabled individuals, veterans, and marginalized communities in a world that prioritizes profit over people.
Brutally honest, deeply personal, and unapologetically rebellious, Tread on the System isn’t just a book—it’s a battle cry. Whether you’re disabled, a veteran, an ally, or simply someone who refuses to accept injustice, this book will challenge your perspective and inspire you to push back against a system designed to leave people behind.
The system wasn’t built for us. So why should we play by its rules?
Thinking Finance: Rants of a 21st Century Privateer