Water! Lots of Water!
First, you need to stockpile drinking water. Hopefully you've already considered this, because store supplies are being gobbled up as we speak. If you have a purification system (Brita pitcher, purification tablets, etc.) you'll be in even better shape, because you can clean your water as you need it.
Another VERY important task is to gather water for non-drinking purposes. When the storm hits you are likely to lose not only power, but water service. We fill up our bathtubs and use a capful of bleach to sanitize it. This provides you with clean water for brushing teeth, flushing toilets, washing dishes and quick, camp-like showers. If you don't need it, great. If you do need it, you'll be very glad it's there.
Food - Play it Safe
It's always good to stock up on non-perishables like peanut butter, canned vegetables, tuna, crackers, etc. Make sure you have a manual can opener to open the cans! But honestly, most of us have plenty of food in our houses to last a few days. The key is to keep that food fresh.
When your power suddenly goes out, many people's first instinct is to hit the food. Be it nervous energy or boredom, it's reality. Keep in mind that every time you open your fridge or freezer after the power goes out, you're releasing valuable cool air and if you're not careful your food will go bad. So KEEP THE DOOR SHUT as much as possible.
If you keep the door shut, your refrigerator should stay cool for about four hours. Keeping the door shut on your full freezer will keep that going for about 48 hours. Another tip is to freeze containers full of water ahead of time. If the power goes out, this ice will help keep your freezer and refrigerator cool for a bit longer.
Since it won't keep forever, you may want to eat the food in your refrigerator first and save your perishable items in case the power outage persists.
For more tips on food safety read this Fact Sheet from the USDA.
If you have a grill you might want to stock extra propane or charcoal, so you can safely cook your food. During storms we always lose power and water but have maintained our gas service, so we could still use our stove. Consider that if you find yourself in a similar situation.
Shelter
Once the storm passes you may be curious about the new state of your neighborhood. Please resist the urge to go outside! Heavy wind and rain may have toppled power lines and other electrically-charged devices as well as trees. This is a huge hazzard. Not only could standing water be charged, but you could find yourself trapped and not able to get back to your home. So STAY INSIDE!
Try stocking these items to keep yourselves occupied - books, magazines, playing cards, board games and crossword puzzles. Make sure you have flashlights or lanters instead of candles, which can quickly turn a bad situation into a blazing one.
Stay Safe Friends - Hopefully you won't need these tips, but in case you are in an emergency situation we hope you stay safe. Hang in there everybody!
