2. Utilize Your Fireplace
If you are fortunate enough to have a fireplace in your home, it is time to make sure that you also have a large supply of firewood, kindling and matches on hand because this could save your life one day.
However, if you suffer from a power outage that eventually saps all of your supplies and it is unsafe to go foraging for more wood, you can burn many of the items in your home. For example, wooden furniture can be broken apart and used to build a fire. Old newspapers and other types of paper, including paperback books, can become a source of warmth as well.
Do not overlook the importance of ventilation for the fire in order to prevent the room from filling up with harmful smoke. You will also need to keep everyone in one room near the fireplace to get the most out of this source of heat. Closing the door to this room will help it stay warmer, and this can trap in some of the heat for a while even after the fire burns out.
Photo by S. Faric