Great discussion and so many excellent ideas already. Think all this has been covered to some degree but we're big on redundancy around here....

Handout of things people can do in the situations most likely to occur in your area -- others have already suggested, great idea. The biggest expenditure on this item will be your time. Knowledge that we on this forum now take for granted, such as water from the water heater, water purification, best practices in rigging outside toilet, etc. -- this would be priceless knowledge to someone with no background in this arena.

-- what would be in that handout could be a lengthy thread on its own.


Extra Tools: Might it be a good idea to have extra axes, chain saws, hand saws, heavy-duty extension cords, generator, shovels, hammers, etc. Not everyone has that stuff (especially not in my area).

Refrigeration: If you have the space, a large freezer (hooked to a generator) or extra Coleman coolers (that in the meanwhile you can use to store gear) would be priceless as your neighbors struggle to keep food from spoiling. If all you did was create block ice in your freezer for your neighbors during a power outage, you'd be a hero. You'd save their food and some meds from spoilage.

Water: If you have room for a water tank that can hold a few hundred gallons... Or rain barrels that could

Food: No one is going to starve to death in a week, but a sustained power outage will probably be occasion for a mass cookout. Good to have briquettes on hand or plenty of propane for your gas grill. You could combine your effort to be neighborly with an ongoing charitable effort -- store certain packaged/canned food items in bulk but rotating out to charity (in advance of expiration, of course) and replenishing for emergencies.

Ham radio: Being a licensed operator could be handy. In a crisis, people are hungry for news.


Would be good to initiate some discussions with neighbors now. Among other things I'd inventory what skills your neighbors have. Are there any doctors or nurses? Mechanics? Anyone else with practical skills in a crisis?

Was reminded the other day that one of my dog owner buddies a couple block away is a nurse. Filed that away.....