DUer Tx4obama's list made during 2 WEEKS without electricity after Hurricane Ike hit Texas

[calimary]

Tx4obama posted this in GD:

A list I made during the TWO WEEKS that I was without electricity after Hurricane Ike hit Texas


Things to do BEFORE the hurricane hits and before the electricity goes out:

Turn on the dishwasher so that everything in the house is clean.

Be sure to wash all the laundry: clothes, sheets, towels.

Freeze as much water in jugs and containers that you can, the extra ice will help to keep your freezer/fridge colder longer.

Fill up your car(s)/truck(s) with gasoline, and a couple of 5 gallon gas cans (if you have somewhere safe to store them).

If you have a gas grill make sure the propane tank is full, and having an extra spare full tank is a good idea.
Most kitchen stoves/ovens down here in Texas are electric, so having an outdoor grill comes in handy. If you have a couple of cast iron skillets many things can be made on the grill other than the usual burgers, etc. such as eggs/bacon, pancakes, and many other things that can be made in the frying pan.

Gather up all the useful things that you can think of that you'll need, such as:

Lots of extra extension cords and a power strip - if you have a generator.
At least two ice chests/coolers to store ice and food in.
Cases of bottled water, jugs of soda.
A couple boxes of powdered/dry milk, cereal, pancake mix (the kind that says 'just add water'), anything you can think of that doesn't need refrigeration.
Fruit: Apples, bananas, pears, any kind that can be left out at room temperature. Also, dried fruit is a good option.
Canned food such as: chili, stew, soup, etc.
A manual can opener.
Battery operated radio, and tons of BATTERIES.
Candles and/or battery operated lights.
Lighters and matches.
Mosquito spray.
Books, crossword puzzles, and other things that will help keep your mind off of the fact the electricity is off during the daytime.
Make sure you have your prescription drugs filled ahead of time, and also gather up other items usually found in a first-aide kit - such as ibuprofen, band-aids, hydrogen peroxide, alcohol, gauze ...
Extra dog/cat food if you have pets.
If your house/apartment is missing any window screens - get a roll or two of screen wire and a big roll of duct tape. The screen wire can be cut with scissors a bit larger than the window and duct taped to the opening. It really helps when it's hot and the AC is not working - and it keeps the bugs out.
Yard bags, a rake, and a chain saw if you have trees.

Edited to add:
FLASHLIGHTS (can't believe I left that one off h/t to the person in the comments that posted that reminder!)
Instant Coffee (thanks to the DUer down below in the comments!)

Note: I am sure that a hundred things are missing from my list, but I hope that at least one person finds something on the list that is helpful.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=439&topic_id=1816752&mesg_id=1816752

calimary's note: I thought this was a REALLY good post. It belongs here, too.