Emergencies are always unexpected, but knowing that means we should be ready for them.

Those of us who were living here during the ice storm several years ago probably never imagined we’d be stranded in our homes without heat or power for more than a few hours. Although I always think of myself as a survivor, it didn’t take long to run out of batteries, and even though everything outside was covered in ice and it was cold, food quickly goes bad when you are used to having a refrigerator and freezer.

I reverted to my cold farmhouse mode of younger days, and hung blankets over all the doorways that didn’t have doors, turned on my gas stove to heat water (fortunately I was on a water line, but if I’d depended on a well – well, I’d have melted snow!). I did miss the television, the radio (yes, I ran out of batteries, and so did all the stores). It was bearable, but just barely. Next time will be different.

In a recent edition of Southern Maine Agency on Aging newsletter, Senior News, there’s a good article including some suggestions from the American Red Cross, with a list of supplies you should always have available just in case you need to leave your home in an emergency.

Keep a backpack or some kind of easy-to-carry bag with an ID card on it and include: A first aid kit; prescription medicines and a list of medications, including dosage; a list of allergies; extra eyeglasses and hearing aid batteries; extra wheelchair batteries; oxygen; a list of the style and serial numbers of medical devices, such as pacemakers; medical insurance card and Medicare card; list of doctors and name of a relative or friend who should be notified if you are injured; a battery-powered radio and flashlight, and extra batteries for each.

Also include: a change of clothing; rain gear and sturdy, comfortable shoes, a blanket or sleeping bag, extra set of keys; cash or credit cards and change for a pay phone; personal hygiene supplies; and your insurance agent’s name and phone number.

Be prepared for an emergency in the winter. You may be without power for a spell, although it seldom happens. You could lose phone service, as well, but again this hardly ever happens. Nevertheless, it might be a good idea to have a cell phone.

Above all, in the cold weather staying warm is most important. So be prepared and keep a flashlight nearby at all times. If the lights go out, you don’t want to go stumbling around. Have a supply of blankets and remember where they are and make sure they’re easy to get to.

Keep a supply of water available – a gallon a day per person. Get a manual can opener if you don’t have one and make sure you can use it. Stock up on cans or boxes of food that do not require elaborate preparation and that are non-perishable, such as canned soup, hash, stew, tuna, peanut butter, etc. (Anyone who knows me knows I always have a few cheese and crackers or a peanut butter sandwich with me and a bottle of water. You never know!) If you lose your power and/or heat, let someone know. Call a relative, friend, your landlord or the emergency services in your town.

After making the ice storm more difficult than it really needed to be, I now have several flashlights (much safer than candles, by the way). I always stock up on batteries at the local dollar store. There’s a pile of blankets in one place, extra water in jugs under the sink, a can opener that doesn’t require Samson to operate and plenty of things to eat that don’t need to be cooked. In my wallet, I have my list of prescriptions, dosage and the ID number of my mechanical heart valve.

And, best of all, I now know where the batteries go in my clock radio. You’ll find that no matter how much you like to read, the light goes quickly in the winter, and there’s something cheery about listening to the radio – just to hear another voice