Power Failures

In Muskoka, with power lines susceptible to rain, snow, sleet, hail and BIG winds, it behooves the cottager to be prepared. I lived through the 30 hours without power in August, 2003, Ice Storm '98 in Osgoode, S. Ontario, and the tornado in August, 2006.

There are some things cottagers ought to have with them on trips north.

• Bottled water (1 gallon per person per day; three-day supply ideal)
• Cash (ATMs and electronic cash registers may not work)
• Cell phone (with nonelectrical charger)
• Warm clothing, jammies and rain gear
• Extra blankets/sleeping bags
  
• Documents
  
• driver’s license, passport, birth certificate
• Contact information of friends and family (in a waterproof container)
• Financial inventory (a list of bank and investment accounts, mortgages, and loans, including account numbers and location of original documents)

(Alternately, leave the above information with a contact person, or on a CD as the troops do, with directions to make calls if they do not hear from you at prearranged dates/times.)

• Emergency numbers of EMS (OPP= 1-888-310-1122 & HydroOne=1-800-434-1235) both numbers will give you information in a non-life threatening emergency
  
• First-aid kit
• Extra batteries for ALL flashlights and radio, or a solar-powered radio
  
• Canned food and nonperishables (e.g., trail mix)
• Masking tape, duct tape, pocket knife, matches and typical camping equipment
  
• List of your medications and names & addresses/contact info of health care practitioners
  
• Sufficient medication for a three-day supply of all daily medications—be sure to check expiration dates periodically

Bring along magazines, books and other items for those lovely quiet times! Back in the old days, when dinosaurs ruled the earth, I was a youngster and we did not have wireless laptops, we found much to do at the cottage. (I do remember the year we packed up the desktop computer in a filled-to-the-brim station wagon and forgot the power cable!) We built tents from towels and had tea parties under blankets. With the near-daily rain we have been having in this 2008 summer, it is wise to be prepared.