Right now my geographical area is experiencing heavy rain and wind and we've lost electrical power (I'm typing on a laptop with a good battery; I could also do this on the smart phone). I'm reminded of the times that I gave security committee programs on various kinds of preparedness relevant to my organization. One such talk turned upon the speculation that 3/4 of the potential physical problems that could befall our location would result in one single sort of result: loss of electricity. Let's consider that possibility.
Rising flood waters, a lightning strike on a pole-mounted transformer, high winds knocking trees onto a power line, copper theft, traffic accidents taking out telephone poles, deliberate vandalism and other things could all result in power loss further down the road or somewhere on the grid. And even if your area wasn't affected, the fix for an affected area might route power away from you, causing a service interruption in order to help the stricken zone. Here's a list of issues and items that could be relevant to the attempt to counter the above potential problems.
Generator Issues: diesel, solar, wind, transformers to feed storage devices like batteries (ordinary rechargeable or deep cycle).
Battery Issues: flashlights, laptop batteries, uniterruptable power supplies, cell phone chargers, cell phone power packs, AC adaptors
Vehicle Issues: fuel storage, oil and tool storage, fuel topoff before inclement weather, tuneups, tire condition, spare tire condition, jumper cables or startup devices as required
Shock Protection Issues: spare fuses, surge protection/power conditioners, Faraday bags, isolation wrist wires, battery removal and storage to prevent corrosion at leads
First Aid Issues: ordinary kit contents (bandages, aintibiotic creams, tape, scissors), prescriptions, spare glasses or contact lenses, chewable aspirin, Immodium, antacid, sunglasses, sunscreen, insect repellent, area repellent (like Yard Gard), duct tape for splints, paper towels, muscular pain medication such as Voltarin or Aspercreme with lidocaine, baby wipes. Lysol spray disinfectant, trash or leaf bags.
