If you have a permanent residence and can afford it a whole house generator.
I have a few freeze dried meals that I keep around for impomptu camping, hiking/kayaking trips and other needs.I like the idea of keeping a water jug in the house and keeping my own water. This recent "single use plastics" stuff has made me think about how much throwaway plastic I can do without, and bottles are pretty high on that list.Megan isn't comfortable with burning gas fed appliances in the house, so no naptha, propane, butane etc lanterns, but fortunately battery powered lanterns pretty well last forever these days.During the hurricane we had to eat, but going outside wasn't a brilliant idea, so luckily I had a self heating MRE type meal from OMeals. It's the first time I have had a self heating meal, and I have to say that I really liked the convenience of it. Heck, I could have used the heat generated to make other things as well, there was so much of it. They are a bit pricey compared to Mountain House, Alpine Aire and some of the others, but the self heating option makes them worthwhile for emergencies.Some time ago during a blizzard, about 1500 motorists were stranded on a section of highway not far from where DerekMac lives. The self heating OMeal would have come in handy along with a bottle of water in an emergency kit, both to get a hot meal, but also to provide some short term heat, although the steam could cause problems in subzero temperatures.I forgot another natural disaster- I have also experienced floods, although fortunately not first hand. At least, nothing serious. I have had a few leaks in the house, but not really a flood. However, I lived a couple of hundred yards from the Ottawa River, which seems to be flooding every spring nowadays, much more than it used to. Fortunately we were on the higher side, but Megan and I did both volunteer to help folks on the Quebec side each year, where many residents were flooded out of their homes. Having a Jeep and a utility trailer was invaluable for hauling sand bags through washed out roads, yards and parks.I'm not sure if I consider it a disaster, but I have also been through heat waves that were so bad, people were actually dying of heat stroke in the streets. I guess there's another internet rule for you:Never travel with Tom Hanks(Image removed from quote.) Don't live near Def... Def
Megan isn't comfortable with burning gas fed appliances in the house, so no naptha, propane, butane etc lanterns, but fortunately battery powered lanterns pretty well last forever these days.
For helping with climate control, reflectix insulation cut to the size of your windows is an option I’ve heard mentioned. You can paint one side black and leave the other silver. If it is cold outside, the black outward can absorb some of the heat from the sun while the silver inside reflects any heat being produced back inside. Reverse the covers if trying to keep cool. Reflectix can also be used as a thermal cooker or maintaining warmth, by wrapping pan in it and/or other insulating materials after heating to temperature and starting to cook.
Your post reminded me about how my friend used to put up blankets/tarp within the house as partition, to conserve heat/energy during power outage in winter. The generator was able to provide enough energy to an electric heater to keep everyone warm in the same living room most of the time.
Oh, and don't buy an Eton Scorpion solar/hand crank emergency radio/flashlight/charger. Total waste of money.
I have a Running Snail one, that I haven't really used much, but it says that with a mere 7-7.5 hours of hand cranking at 120rpm I can have a fully charged battery. Def