The Zoo

Lights Out

• We need a battery powered weather radio (tornado warning happened the first afternoon and we didn't know because the weather radio we have doesn't alert without power)
• We need a battery powered carbon monoxide detector (I couldn't sleep the first two nights using the propane fireplace, I was terrified of CO2 without the detectors on)
• We need battery operated smoke detectors (ours are hard wired into the house electricity)
• We need to store more toilet flushing water. (we had plenty to drink but not enough to flush with.  We melted snow the first two days but there was no more snow the last two days.  Hubby brought jugs of water home from work but realistically we can't rely on being able to leave home for such things)
• We need to store more gas for the generator on the property (Hubby had to bring gas home each night and that may not be an option next time)
• We need to keep the propane tank full at all times (we had plenty of propane to last but I was still obsessively checking it because we were running the oven 24/7 and the fireplace at night.  If it had been colder and had to run the fireplace all day we would have had a problem)
• Need candle holders (I have a zillion candles but not enough holders, I didn't think that one through.  We used canning jars for candle holders and that worked well but I'd rather not mess up my jars)
• Need more games and things to do.  (the kids play games all the time so they were not interested in them. We ran to town the 3rd day and bought new games and they played them non stop)
• Maybe a second, small generator.  (the big generator was great, but if we'd have had a small generator we could have run it 24/7 for important items like the incubator.  It would use less gas only powering one item. The big generator uses too much gas to have run it all the time)