Safety

Igniready covers subjects that can lead to injury: fire, blades, first aid, exercise, and outdoor activities. Please keep the following in mind.

Reading isn't training

First aid, CPR, self-defense, and handling fire are learned with your hands, not from a page. We recommend hands-on courses, such as those run by the American Red Cross or your local fire department.

Follow local authorities

In an emergency, follow instructions from local officials and emergency services. Our articles are general information for everyday preparation.

Know your limits

Match exercise and outdoor activities to your health, any conditions you have, and your age. Talk to a doctor or other professional if you are unsure. When children take part, an adult should always be close by.

Follow the rules of the place

Campfires and stoves are subject to campground and local rules, fire restrictions, and the day's weather.

No fear-selling

We write so that preparing can start from enjoyment and curiosity, not from fear.

Growing some of your own food: containers, community gardens and soil safety

Starting with containers (sun, drainage, potting mix, watering), community gardens and Japan's citizen farms, testing garden soil for lead and EPA's advice by lead level, and not planting toxic look-alikes such as daffodils next to chives.

Cooking for a crowd: planning and food safety for big batches

USDA's volunteer guide to cooking for groups, the current safe minimum temperatures, the 2-hour and 1-hour rules, cooling, reheating and transport, plus Japanese disaster-cooking numbers for how much rice to cook and what not to serve.

Choosing a campsite: flash floods, dead branches, wind and rockfall

Where to pitch and where not to, from the National Park Service, NOAA and Japan's river authorities: dry washes and sandbars, hazard trees, rockfall, wind and lightning, a five-direction check, the three knots for pitching, and drying your tent before storage.

Sleeping warm: sleeping bag temperature ratings and sleeping pad R-values

What the comfort, limit and extreme ratings on a sleeping bag mean (ISO 23537-1), how pad R-values are tested (ASTM F3340) and why stacked pads add up, how altitude lowers the temperature, Japan's shelter bed lessons, and avoiding low-temperature burns.

Disaster camping: Japan's habit of practicing a night without power, water or gas

Japanese schools and families practice for disasters by spending a night on camping gear and stored supplies. What those programs do, how the idea fits Ready.gov and Red Cross advice, how to start with a few hours, a one-night checklist, and the safety rules.