Speaking of getting kits and things ready, this morning I bought a power inverter at Lowe's for $29.99. You hook it up to your car battery, and it puts out 400 (peak 800) watts of AC power. It has two outlets, but I plan to use an extension cord connected to a power strip, etc. They had a larger model, 750 watts for $59.00. My power was off for a week with Frances, and it would have been nice to be able to power a box fan, some decent lights, normal size tv, possibly computer, etc. It is necessary to restart the car every few hours or so while using it near full capacity, to keep the battery charged. The way I look at it, that's better than keeping a generator running all the time. I'm sure I'll want to go out and sit in the a/c in the car every once in a while, anyway (did that a lot after Frances.) The unit has a built-in auto shutoff if the battery voltage drops too low, and it also alterts you when it is getting close to that level. The brand is Vector. Home Depot has the same thing sold under their Husky brand, though it is more expensive ($45) and they were out of stock here in Gvl when I called. Obviously it won't power your refrigerator and central a/c, but having lived a week without power, I think it will be more than a few steps up from relying on batteries. I do have a battery powered tv, battery powered 'lanterns', boom box/radio, candles, etc. - all of which are a lot better than no tv, no radio, no lights, etc. Power inverters can be mail ordered, of course, if you want one and can't find one locally. Lowes.com ships. To be on the safe side, your car should have a good/strong battery (not on the verge of wearing out) and a reliable alternator (shouldn't be a problem for most people.)