This site is a "work in progress" and we are all students doing double duty as teachers. Have you ever watched those grainy, black and white newsreels from WW2? I often wonder about those people pulling carts with a Stuka or P-51suddenly appearing overhead. Most of the time they weren't even fleeing to any infrastructure at all. At least we know ( planetary magnetic shifts withstanding) that the next block, city,county,state will have cold coke machines and the smiling insurance reps seen in the commercials. Emergency preparations , like war are always based on the last social gathering. Best thing for YOU is to put aside some time and actually try some of this stuff. If it works fine.If it doesn't try something else and let us know. My first night camping I froze in a cheap bag. Next trip found me in a premium down unit . My feet were raw from lousy boots but I slept good. All these little things add up to one big thing- personal empowerment. When you own a flashlight the big bad dragon of a power failure has nowhere to hide. <img src="images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />