I am not prepared, and it is one hour after the grid went down

This is written from the worst possible starting point: no stored water, no torch with batteries, no radio, eleven dollars and a quarter tank of fuel. Every day is one more day of the same emergency. The techniques that keep him alive are real and cited; the mistakes are the ones people actually make, which is why they are in here.

All thirty days are written and published. The roadmap below is the arc in order — start at Day 0 and read forward, or go straight to the thing you are short of.

Day 0

It is one hour in and I have nothing

The first 24 hours, hour by hour. Live now.

Day 1

Rationing is not a plan

Three days of water left and a bathtub I cannot use. Why counting litres per person beats hiding the bottles. Live now.

Day 2

The toilet question nobody wants to ask

TITLE: Day 2: The toilet question nobody wants to ask — Canaprep

Day 3

Cold at night, and the one warm room

TITLE: Cold at night, and the one warm room

Day 4

Food that needs no flame

TITLE: Food that needs no flame

Day 5

Eleven dollars and a third of a tank

TITLE: Eleven dollars and a third of a tank

Day 6

Three counties is not a number

TITLE: Three counties is not a number

Day 7

We argued about five litres for two hours

TITLE: We argued about five litres for two hours

Day 8

Fifteen litres for four cartridges

TITLE: Fifteen litres for four cartridges

Day 9

The medicine problem

TITLE: The medicine problem

Day 10

The candle I put in the front window

TITLE: The candle I put in the front window

Day 11

One hot meal costs 37 grams of gas

TITLE: One hot meal costs 37 grams of gas

Day 12

The room hit 14 °C and the air in it was the problem

TITLE: The room hit 14 °C and the air in it was the problem

Day 13

3,200 watts, and the answer was no

TITLE: 3,200 watts, and the answer was no

Day 14

Four degrees in the spare bedroom

TITLE: Four degrees in the spare bedroom

Day 15

Seventy-seven percent of a cartridge for a house I do not own

TITLE: Seventy-seven percent of a cartridge for a house I do not own

Day 16

Four centimetres across the back of my hand

TITLE: Four centimetres across the back of my hand

Day 17

What a clean shirt is worth

TITLE: What a clean shirt is worth

Day 18

The shutter, and the man with the nephew

TITLE: The shutter, and the man with the nephew

Day 19

Nine lines on a clipboard

TITLE: Nine lines on a clipboard

Day 20

Forty-six and a half litres

TITLE: Forty-six and a half litres

Day 21

A litre of petrol and nothing that burns it

TITLE: A litre of petrol and nothing that burns it

Day 22

Two hours and ten minutes at a car I could not open

TITLE: Two hours and ten minutes at a car I could not open

Day 23

The neighbour's children, for a day

TITLE: The neighbour's children, for a day

Day 24

Twenty-one days late, and 3.4 litres on the ice

TITLE: Twenty-one days late, and 3.4 litres on the ice

Day 25

The thaw finds what the freeze broke

TITLE: The thaw finds what the freeze broke

Day 26

The hour when the radio works

TITLE: The hour when the radio works

Day 27

What I will never do again

TITLE: Day 27: What I will never do again — Canaprep

Day 28

Four lines on the back of the water card

TITLE: Four lines on the back of the water card

Day 29

The lights came on one street over

TITLE: The lights came on one street over

Day 30

Seventy-two out of two hundred and twenty-five

TITLE: Seventy-two out of two hundred and twenty-five