Editorial Standards
Last reviewed: 2026-09-24
PrepIQ publishes practical preparedness guides. This page explains exactly how they get made, what we check, what we don't claim, and how to get something fixed.
Who writes this
Guides carry the PrepIQ Editorial Team byline because the process is collaborative: research, drafting, fact-checking, and editing are shared. It is not a claim of individual certifications, and it is not a substitute for professional training.
How we research
- Primary sources first. Official guidance from agencies and standards bodies — FEMA, NWS/NOAA, USGS, CDC, NFPA, FEMA's Ready.gov, and manufacturer documentation — before any secondary write-up.
- Numbers over adjectives. Hours, gallons, watts, lumens, dollars. Where real-world performance differs from advertised (battery ratings, filter lifespans, generator runtimes), we say which is which.
- No invented statistics. If a figure isn't verifiable, it doesn't ship as a fact.
How we pick products
- Published specifications and ratings. We compare manufacturer specs and retailer-verified ratings and review volume, and we prefer products with enough review history to be judged.
- We do not run laboratory tests. We are not a testing lab and we don't pretend to be. When we recommend something, it's based on documented specs and demonstrated reliability, and we say so.
- Prices move. Every product link goes through our redirect page and prices are re-checked on update. The number you see at the retailer is the one that counts.
- Commissions never decide picks. Some links earn us a commission; several guides deliberately recommend spending nothing. No brand pays for placement or for a rating.
How we use software
We use software-assisted research and drafting to keep the library current. Every guide is reviewed against its cited sources before publication, and updated when those sources or products change. If something slips through, the corrections process below is how it gets fixed.
Accuracy and corrections
We welcome corrections. If a guide is wrong, outdated, or unclear, email [email protected] with the page and the problem. Verified corrections are applied and, for substantive errors, noted on the page. Accuracy is the whole product.
Updates
Guides show both their publication date and their most recent update. Substantive revisions — new guidance, changed products, corrected figures — move the update date; cosmetic edits don't.
Scope and safety
PrepIQ is an independent publication, not an emergency service. First-aid and disaster-response content follows published agency guidance but does not replace certified training (Stop the Bleed, CPR/AED) or instructions from emergency officials during an active event. When officials disagree with a guide, follow officials.
Contact
Corrections, questions, or press: [email protected]. See also about PrepIQ and our privacy policy.