Three winters ago our power went out at 2 a.m. during a snowstorm. The temperature inside dropped to 48 degrees by morning. We had no way to make coffee, charge phones, or heat food. My wife found a single candle in the junk drawer and we huddled around it like pioneers. Do not be us.

The Kit You Actually Need

Forget the expensive prepper kits with MREs and water purification tablets. For a 24-48 hour outage, you need: a headlamp (not a flashlight — you need both hands free), power bank charged and ready, canned food with a manual can opener, and blankets — more than you think. Each person loses body heat faster than you expect.

Water: The Thing Nobody Thinks About

If you are on a well with an electric pump, no power means no water. Fill the bathtub before a big storm hits. You can use this water for flushing toilets and washing. Keep a gallon of drinking water per person per day in the pantry. I learned this the hard way when I had to melt snow on the stove, which used up our propane.

Heat Without Power

If you have a fireplace or wood stove, confirm the flue is open and you have dry wood before the storm. If you do not have a fireplace, close off one room and stay in it together. Body heat from multiple people in a small room makes a measurable difference. Hang blankets over windows and doorways to trap heat.

Never use a gas stove or oven for heat. Carbon monoxide poisoning kills people during outages every winter. If you have a generator, it goes outside, at least 20 feet from any window or door.

One Thing to Do Right Now

Put a headlamp, power bank, and a warm pair of socks in a bag where you can find them in the dark. If the power goes out tonight, you will not be searching through drawers by phone light at 2 a.m. like I did.