Gallipolis, Ohio Braces for Impending February Storm

The major snow storm expected has yet to hit Gallipolis, Ohio, but that isn't stopping it's citizens from preparing for it. Downtown is busy as an ant farm and everyone I know is gathering their candles and flashlights. We're used to frigid temperatures and power outages and have learned how to effectively deal with it. Right now it is raining heavily and it is very cold. The sky looks angry and foreboding- somethings coming.

There are many things one can do to prepare for weather or storms that can leave us stranded and without power. Being prepared is your first defense against the elements. Candles, flashlights and oil lamps are just a few things that come in handy when the lights are out. Some people even prefer to have a generator on hand. My grandmother, who once had all electric, traded her stove in for a gas model one and sprung for a wall mounted gas heater. Trying to cook when the electric is out sucks, she got her stove after an incident where the power went out while we were in the middle of canning jam. A lot of our jam was ruined as her stove at the time was electric. Tonight's winter storm shouldn't be too bad for us, we're used to big snows and power outages. It's just going to suck being with out power. Many items are very useful in outages, I once used a Gameboy for lighting. Some items that you should have around the house at all times in case of power outages include, but are not limited to:

Candles Flashlights Batteries

Matches or lighter Oil Lamps(great for lighting up a room)

Gas Heater Cooler Food Supplies

Bottled Water Wet Wipes(use them to clean off)

Generator(propane)

Cell Phone Battery Operated Radio

Booze(optional)