BARNETT: Gather supplies, devise plan before an emergency strikes

Sandy, the worst Atlantic storm ever recorded, has left much of the East Coast and parts of the Midwest without electrical power. Experts expect the power to be off for days, maybe weeks, in some areas.

As the winter weather progresses, those of us not affected by the winds and wet weather produced by Sandy eventually may be affected by other storms this winter or in the years to come. Heavy snowfalls, ice storms, floods, hurricanes and tornadoes can cause power system failures that leave some of us in the dark for days and others for weeks at a time. You need to be prepared when — not if — the lights go out. Have ready:

More than one flashlight and an ample supply of batteries.

A 12-volt to 120-volt inverter: This will come in handy to recharge batteries for the radio, cellphones and lighting.

A week's supply of wood for a fireplace or wood-burning stove: An auxiliary source of heat such as a propane camp heater can be used if there are no wood-burning appliances. When the power goes off, a gas or electric furnace will not work.

Reduce the area of the home or apartment being heated by closing off the outer rooms of the house and concentrate the heat to one or two rooms.






Enough food stored to last four to five days for each person in your home:Canned foods and soups can be heated on a wood burner or camp stove, but you will need that old reliable manual can opener. MRE's (meals ready to eat) designed for the military can be purchased online or at military resale stores.

Plenty of fresh drinking water: According to the Mayo Clinic and the Water Encyclopedia, the minimum requirement for an adult male is 13 cups (3 liters) of water daily; a female will need an average of 9 cups (2.2 liters) daily. To be safe, you should have on hand enough drinking water for each person to have a minimum of 8 ounces of water at least 8 times a day. Without water, the body will not function properly and you could succumb to the environment.

Store as much water as possible in advance in case your water is supplied by a well or if the municipal supply is not working: Fill the bathtubs and sinks with water for personal use. The average bathtub holds between 40 and 60 gallons of water (source National Builder Supply). The average person in the U.S. uses approximately 100 gallons of water per day. However, you can reduce water usage by limiting flushing of the toilet to four times per day, which will consume a total of 6 gallons of water.

Use hand sanitizers and reuse wash water in the sink. Following a few simple rules can reduce personal grooming to less than 12 gallons per person per day.

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If you have a generator or plan to purchase one there are a few safety rules you will need to observe:



The generator should be protected from rain or snow.






