If you live near a coast in the US, you've probably been biting your nails as Irma was upgraded from a tropical storm to a hurricane, and the category numbers climbed. But what do the categories mean, exactly?

It happened. Bright, white light flashed before your eyes, the power of the sun licked your skin, and you felt a shock wave of dust and debris plow through the city you call home. You're one of the lucky ones, for now, but your struggle isn't over yet — not even close.

You do not want your toddler to drown. I don't want your toddler to drown, either. Swimming lessons are great, and can help them be more comfortable in water, but please don't rely on them to give you peace of mind at the pool.

In the wake of an attack at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester that left 22 dead and over 50 injured, Facebook activated its Safety Check feature, giving users in the area the opportunity to assure friends and family they were safe.

Flood waters may not look all that threatening on TV, especially if you're a skilled swimmer. But flash floods are actually incredibly dangerous, and they can strike with little to no warning. This is what you should do if you or your vehicle gets swept away by the raging waters.

NSW is currently shivering its way through one of the worst cold snaps in memory. Last night, Sydney temperatures dropped to 10 degrees or under - which was a rude shock after weeks of balmy Autumn weather. While we haven't reached frostbite season yet, it can never hurt to be prepared. This infographic explains what to do when Jack Frost tries to bit your nose off.

Victims of car accidents can end up replaying disturbing memories in their minds. But these intrusive memories, one aspect of post-traumatic stress disorder, may be preventable. All you have to do, according to a new study, is play Tetris after the accident.

If you're trying to remember how to do CPR, but the guideline song Stayin' Alive just doesn't stick in your head, New York Presbyterian Hospital has a 40-song playlist you can browse instead. All of the songs are a CPR-friendly 100+ beats per minute.

This is advice I hope you never need but should know anyway. A nuclear attack is everybody's worst nightmare, and the immediate aftermath is just as bad, if not worse, than the explosion itself. Here's what you should do if you survive the initial blast.

The fantasy of an impending zombie apocalypse may inspire urban survival fantasies in the most level-headed of us, but zombie apocalypse or not, knowing how to survive the breakdown of social amenities we take for granted is a legitimate skill. Here's a look at the basic urban survival skills you need to know, catered to your skill set.

You would think an emergency room is a place to get medical care quickly, but plenty of us know the feeling of waiting for hours even if the place doesn't seem busy. This video helps to explain why.

You're standing on a beach fully clothed, enjoying a nice barbecue when you see someone in the nearby lake flailing. Naturally you spring into action. If you jumped into the water fully clothed, though, you're about to make it a lot harder to save that drowning person - or even yourself.

You may not have gym class anymore, but rope climbing can still be a good workout. And knowing how to climb a rope could be an invaluable skill in some emergency situations. Here are a few methods you can practice.

A survival whistle is a must in any good bug-out bag, but if you don't have one, or you're stuck without a way to signal to others where you are, a soup can lid will do the trick. This video from Specific Love Creations shows you how to make one, even if you need to open a can to do it.

You never know when disaster will strike, so it's a good idea to store all of your important documents in a fireproof safe. If you're looking to buy one for your home or office, here are the features you should keep an eye out for.

It's always a good idea to make sure you're ready for whatever life throws your way. Emergency preparedness isn't about doomsday prepping, though, it's about being ready for the realistic events that can disrupt life at any time. Here are some lesser-known things you should do as you establish you and your family's emergency plan.

If you ever need to use your fire extinguisher, you probably want it to work. The powder in some extinguishers can settle and harden at the bottom, making them unusable. To prevent this, conduct some quick maintenance every six months or so.

The night is no longer young. Your friend, life of the party a few hours ago, is passed out on the couch. But how drunk are they? Do they just need a helping shoulder to stagger off to bed, or is this the level of drunk that warrants a call to the hospital?

This massive, informative guide on survival basics from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government will teach you how to turn pants into a backpack, how to make an emergency lantern with a plastic bottle, and much more.