Since the most popular column I wrote this winter is the one on Home Heating, I thought I would make a few comments on the situation. We live in New York State USA and obviously our home heating bills are sky high in the winter. Once again, I recommend you caulk your windows well, and put up Heat Catchers in your south windows, and use window quilts over windows at night. This has kept our heat bills at a steady level all winter in spite of record cold. Much, much, much cheaper than when we used another type heat source, in much milder weather. I do add if you feel you were over billed, please contact your state attorney’s office. Many have complaint forms right online. In our state last year, the State District Attorney, Elliot Spitzer, successfully prosecuted a large international fuel conglomerate for over billing thousands of customers, and also illegally shutting off power which resulted in the freezing death of an elderly woman. The case is now under appeal and has been well covered by the Buffalo New York press. But if you feel you have been " Enroned" by your fuel provider, please call your state district attorney, and let them know.

Enough. On to Emergency Preparedness.

Some of the best sites for preparing for emergencies –whatever your country -- are the USA FEMA (Federal Emergency Management sites) and the USA Homeland Security sites. This is not to try and scare people, but to help empower people by letting feel that in the case of natural disaster they have some options. Most are very inexpensive and simply the result of buying and planning ahead –something most frugal people do anyway. And it can happen to anyone. One of my relatives lives in a southern state, and because of unexpected ice storms even in her plush neighborhood, people were without power for several day twice this unusually bad winter.

This suggests people should keep several gallon bottles of water aside for emergencies. If you can afford it a small indoor safe propane heater might be a good choice in colder areas. Some places which sell nice ones which have CO2 sensors on them for under $100 dollars are:

Northern Tool.com
www.northerntool.com


Home Depot.com
www.homedepot.com


Value HomeCenter.com
www.truevalue.com


This can give the confidence you have reliable safe backup heat.

For food keep undented canned goods with an manual opener ready in case of problems. I saw a woman buying a carton of canned dinners the other day at my favorite grocery www.aldis.com
an thought it quite clever. That way one wouldn’t have to try to conjure up a meal in a crisis.

To cook you can use the backup heat source, or keep a small sterno type stove to cook out side with a few times a day. Please don’t try and use grills inside as some people died of carbon monoxide poisoning. Keep the grill outside and step out in a jacket. Solar ovens are easy to make. We keep our emergency kit inside our simple solar oven. There are all sorts of plans for simple effective solar ovens which will warm food and water even in snow at:
http://www.solarcooking.org


They can be made from two cardboard boxes stuffed with newspapers in a pinch.

For lighting you can just open the south draperies, or best, use some sort of battery or solar lantern. Candles are good as long as one is careful about flames, particularly with kids around. Of course, I think solar lanterns charged in the south windows are best, and handy all year. One source of these is:
www.northerntool.com
or
Big Lots
www.biglots.com

To get even more preparedness suggestions:
Check out:
FEMA
P.O. Box 2012
Jessup MD 20794-2012
· Brochure: Family Disaster Supply Kit
· Stickers: Home Fire Safety: Act on It! - Ask for: 5-0206
· Coloring Book: Disaster Preparedness - Ask for: 8-1123
· Poster: Make the Right Call (Call 911) - Ask for: Poster 012
· Door Knob Hanger: Fire Safety. Ask for 5-0200
· Video: Prepare to Survive! - Ask for 9-1074
or online:
FEMA
http://www.fema.gov


Also, Check out USA Homeland Security at:
http://www.dhs.gov


Please Check out my other Emergency Preparation Articles at:

Cheap Emergency Prep
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art12781.asp


Make Your Car a Power Supply in An Emergency:
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art13717.asp


For more ideas Check out these Frugal Living Books!
Complete Tightwad Gazzette
The Complete Tightwad Gazzette

Declare Your Finanacial Independence
Declare Your Financial Independence

Complete Cheapskate
Mary Hunt's Complete Cheapskate

Miserly Moms
Miserly Moms

You Can Afford to Stay Home With your Kids
You can Afford to stay Home WIth your Kids