Living in a rural community brings strengths that many of us are quite proud of, such as self-reliance, close neighbors, and local knowledge, but it can also mean longer power outages, limited cell service, fewer evacuation routes, and slower access to emergency resources during disasters.

This page brings together practical, household-level preparedness guidance to help individuals and families plan for extreme weather, storms, flooding, and extended power outages. Topics include backup power and generator safety, fuel storage, emergency planning, food and medication safety, and simple steps you can take before an emergency happens.

Our goal is to make preparedness clear, realistic, and doable for rural households, using trusted guidance from Family & Consumer Sciences and N.C. Cooperative Extension. Whether you’re just getting started or looking to fine-tune your plan, these resources are designed to help you prepare with confidence.

Prepared homes. Stronger communities.