My power went out earlier today. I went about 5 hours without power. I had food in the house, so I wasn't starving. My all-electric apartment went without heat, so it was cold. I had enough warmth to sustain me, and I have blankets. The stairwells were pitch black - no light. The entrance and exits are accessible only through FOB, all electric, so no going in or out. I realized that I didn't pack my flashlight or extra batteries. I also realized that I didn't purchase a can opener to go with my can goods - silly me! Even the basics I lacked for my own survival gear within the home. My cell was almost dead, but I charged it with the laptop's battery by plugging the USB into my computer. It helped a little, but toward the end, my battery nearly died. I realized now that I need a backup battery for my cell, just in case. I also realized that if I were trapped and needed to escape from my apartment, I'm missing rappelling rope (and a refresher course on how to repel, since we learned in the Marines how to do that).

And this was just a power outage for 5 hours! Survival gear is important for even the minor issues such as power outages. Eek! I respect this thread now more than ever. Hee hee.