1. Almost any normal generator can be easily converted to run on natural gas or propane while keeping the ability to use gasoline. I converted mine 3 years ago after Rita, and after Ike I was able to keep my generator going for 2 weeks straight (except for stopping it daily to check the oil, change it at the appropriate intervals, and leave it off at night when the temperature was cool enough). You'll need a little do-it-yourself ability for the conversion and the natural gas hookup, but it sure as heck beats worrying about your gasoline supply, especially with the shortages and long lines we had after the storm. Plus at the current prices for gasoline and natural gas, it's cheaper to run it on natural gas. See
http://www.propane-generators.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; or
http://propanecarbs.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; for more details.
2. A small 5000 BTU window unit AC is cheap and makes a huge difference when the family can all sleep in one cool dry bedroom at night when the temperature and humidity are high. I bought one the day before the storm on a whim and it worked out great.
3. Many of your neighbors might not have generators. A couple extra long extension cords can be a big help to them by letting them keep their refrigerators/freezers running a few hours a day on your generator. You can keep a few houses worth of fridges running by cycling the extension cords around on a schedule. You will create a lot of good will and get to know your neighbors better, plus you never know when you'll need their help or services.
4. As mentioned before me, text messaging is great when the networks are having trouble. Texting worked 99% of the time, while voice coverage worked less than 50%. My personal experience and those of my family/friends showed that Verizon had better coverage after the storm than T-Mobile, Cricket, or Sprint/Nextel in the Houston area.
5. Natural gas clothes dryers will work on most generators, while electric dryers are too much demand for typical 5000-8000W home generators. Keep that in mind if you're shopping for new washer/dryers.
6. Water pressure can be almost non-existent when power is off for extended periods. A bathtub full of water is the normally-suggested means for keeping water on hand for flushing toilets, but if your bathtub drain won't hold the water like mine, then a couple trash cans outside filled with water before the storm and a bucket work well.
7. Power outages take out cable TV/internet immediately. Satellite works as soon as your generator is running. DSL woks as long as land phone lines are working, which is a higher probability than electricity or cable. I'm considering switching to Dish/DSL because everyone I know had theirs working while my cable was dead.
8. If you have your internet working because of your generator, consider temporarily changing your wireless router (if you have one) into an open network to share with your neighbors. It's an amazing feeling to be able to connect with the world again when you've been without internet for a while. Helping your neighbors connect will be greatly appreciated -- I know because it was a great feeling when I was able to get in touch with my family and see some of the local news coverage when my neighbor opened up his DSL wireless router.
9. Call people that you know who were affected by the storm to make sure that everything is okay. Small things like that can make a difference in people's crazy day-to-day lives after the storm, and people really appreciate and remember who called/emailed to check on them.
10. If you are in a mandatory evacuation area on the coast, get out. Do not think that you can outsmart the experts and ride it out. See this story about 2 people on Bolivar that survived, but ask yourself if you want to try to beat the odds like they did.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/6027456.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;