Don't forget a can opener! Extra eyeglasses too, when needed.

Candles, flashlights, spare batteries.

Battery-powered radio. Maybe a ham radio system, for two-way communication.

Camp stove for cooking.

A couple of years ago when I visited my uncle for a couple of winter months after his wife died, when the power went out for something over a day, we cooked and kept warm using his wood-fired heating stove.

Fortunately, he had an old hand pump on his well that we used to pump water for the cattle.

After he died, the new owner of the farm rented the house to me. I don't drink the well water, which smells (too close to the barnyard) and bring in water from the city that I use for drinking and cooking.

Heating system, if you live in a cold area, that doesn't depend on electricity.

When my friend built a house, he embedded 12-volt powered fans in the vents around the fireplace so he could hook up to his car battery.

That was several years ago - I'll have to ask him whether he has ever used it.

Extra warm bedding, blankets if you live in an area where it gets cold on occasion.

Perhaps a generator, especially if you own a freezer that contains a substantial amount of food.

Possibly have one shared between half a dozen families, hauling it from house to house, for it wouldn't be necessary to operate it continuously at any one location.

Just some ideas that you might find useful.

ole joyful

Ed you've been peeking at my checklist again! ;) One other thing that came in very handy this year when I had the power out for a few days, I had a power inverter for my vehicle. This enabled me to recharge my notebook computer, cell phone and other things. It helped keep what little sanity I have! I was able to use the computer for entertainment, business and move on. Worked well. Granted, this is a luxury, but a very handy one for occasional use.

Another item that I was reminded of for the power outage was to have a corded phone. Cordless phones won't work without electricity.

It's important to keep a supply of batteries around. When the power was out, so were the stores! It's also a good idea to have a written list of emergency numbers to call in the event of an emergency. If you panic you may forget your own phone number! Put it on there too. Also it's a good idea to put together a list of sources for things like dry ice and other things you might need in certain situations. A little time is all it takes. Post it on the refrigerator or in a special place, maybe a notebook of important things you need to take if you have to evacuate. Insurance numbers, agents names. A whole address book is a good thing to have. Maybe a good idea to give a copy to a trustworthy friend or relative a distance away just in case.

It's always good to have a few gallons of gas around too. When you have use for it, of course.

Let's see, what else. First Aid kit. Some common tools like pliers & screwdriver, hammer. Possibly a hatchet or ax handy. Depends on the emergency but you never know. Even something as simple as pen & paper. Coins for phone calls. Remember matches for those candles too! (Waterproofed in some manner too.)

I didn't endure the problems the hurricane folks had, but I must say I was proud of myself for being prepared as I was for my incident. It was humorous watching some of my friends and relatives who didn't even have a flashlight or batteries. There's no excuse for that IMO. I was able to watch (battery) tv and go online. So many couldn't even listen to a radio because they were unprepared.

Have a look at my web page for lots of survival tips. My page is geared toward when the power goes out (which it did 2-3 times per year at my last house).

http://www.geocities.com/csroberts/survival.htm