What to Do When the Power Goes Out

With winter fast approaching, our attention turns to preparation for chilly days and icy nights. Evenings curled up under a blanket with a cup of hot cocoa, staying warm and watching the snow falling outside. One must also consider the possibility of power loss during winter storms and how to keep your family warm when there's no way to heat your home. I've suffered more winter power outages in my life than I care to count, and over the years have come up with what I consider the essentials of staying warm when the snow or ice storms have shut down the power and noses get a little chilly. With 10 things (many of which you may already have), you can ensure that life goes on even without electricity.

Candles - It goes without saying that candles are incredibly useful when the power goes out. They help you to see your way through the house on those dark and stormy nights. They also generate a little bit of heat and although they won't heat the house, they can certainly add some small degree of warmth to a room.

Battery powered lanterns - While they won't generate heat, they will illuminate the way and allow the family to play board or card games to pass the time. You can find a number of good quality battery operated lights in the camping section of any sporting goods store.

Games - Board games and card games can help the family pass the time until the power returns. It's also a great way to promote family togetherness.

Camp stove - These are usually 1 or 2 burners powered by propane or butane. They're great for emergencies, for cooking or heating water for hot beverages. You can even toast marshmallows over them if you want to make it seem like a camping experience.

Blankets - It goes without saying that extra blankets are a necessity. Not just for covering up, but blocking off the entrance to rooms you won't be using as much, which will help trap the heat your bodies and breathing generates in the room the family is hanging out in.

Food & beverages - Food that can just be opened and eaten or that requires just a quick heat up (on your camp stove). Canned foods, snacks and instant noodles are fairly inexpensive, keep for a long time and can easily be prepared. Instant mixes for hot drinks, tea bags and similar items are a plus. Your electric coffee pot won't be working, and most people don't have a percolator in their cupboard.

Slippers or warm socks - Hands can be warmed easily by rubbing them together or by keeping them busy. Feet don't warm as easily and most people don't like walking around the house with their shoes on. Even if you hardly wear them, slippers can keep your toes warm and keep your feet off of the cold floor. If slippers aren't your thing, making sure everyone's got a pair or two of good thick socks to wear can go a long way.

Radio - A radio that operates on batteries is essential. Not just for music, but so that your family can get any storm updates and news on what's going on elsewhere.

Space heaters - There are a number of space heater options out there with various power supplies. There are some that run on propane and others that run on batteries.

These are just a few things to keep your family warm, fed and occupied when the power goes out. Just make sure you have the batteries/fuel that you need to run any of these items. There are other items that you might want to have around, depending on your situation. If you have a fireplace, making sure that you have plenty of firewood in a dry, accessible place is a good idea. You don't want to smoke out your family by putting a wet log on the fire, or have to retrieve or split logs in the midst of a winter storm. The heating situation can also be helped with a kerosene heater if that's a possibility for your family - it's not generally something you want with small children or rambunctious animals.