Auxiliary Addendum

So much of our daily lives are intertwined with gadgets and machines. What they all need is power, whether by electricity or fuel they are hungry and need to be fed.. 

No matter what the reason for disruption in the power to your home, having the ability to turn on the TV, watch a DVD, run a blender (for an adult beverage) all will help with the stress of the outage.

Remember just because there is a problem doesn't mean you have to live like a cave man.  If you prepare and plan for your need to run necessities and yes some creature comforts too you will be better off before during & after.

 Now you can start with only candlelit light and a pack of playing cards but that should only be a start, not an end. Some things to plan for is gasoline. You may need to get to your work, even if the power is out, perhaps you need to leave the aria; for that you will need gas for your car. Having more than you need at the present time will mean you have to stock up now. Buying one (or two) gas powered generators that can run both your refrigerator and some lights, maybe a TV / DVD player will make the time a bit more tolerable. So you need gas for that too.  Metal Jerry cans like the U.S. army used is a great choice.  Just fill up what you think you would need for your family and rotate that supply every few months.  You use gasoline anyway why not have some laid-a-way.

A battery backup the kind you get to jump start your car, with power plugs will power small appliances like blenders or a laptop computer (games, movies, etc.)

 Being able to see at night is very helpful and reassuring to people.  So candles, oil lamps, flashlights & lanterns. Just remember to store batteries, fuel, parts and the like. Two is one & One is none, always have more than one of something and more ways to do the same thing.  Better to have flashlights & candles & oil lamps. Start with something small and with a plan work into a interlaced, redundant system. 

 Having the power or fuel to run a heater in winter or a fan in summer will be of great comfort or perhaps a saving grace, depending how cold or hot it is.   So if you get a generator that can be used to run at least a fan or even a AC unit in a room on a hot day or warm night so you can sleep this will not only improve moral but health.  Perhaps it's 10° below zero, bet a space heater or a propane heater would be nice or even save your lives.  It will all vary on your needs, where you live and your average climate. The needs of a family living in Mane will be greatly different than one living in the desert south west. 

 Last but not least is communication. Knowing what is going on around you and the ability to talk with other family or friends is not just desirable but a huge advantage in a crisis. A weather radio that runs on batteries is the foundation of your com.  Having a cell phone is good but not always reliable in a system breakdown, circuits could be overwhelmed or just down. Having a home phone and cell is a better option. A TV that gets local channels via the airwaves should be planned for.  Other options are CB radio, ham radio, MURS radios (used for com around your home).

 Again start slow with a plan, but plan and START now.