Staying Warm

While Food and Water should be your primary focus first, once that is under control, you need to look at other basic needs. These needs can include Shelter, medical supplies, and necessary "creature comforts". For those that live in the Midwest U.S. (or somewhere colder), the need for heat is essential. Enter Mr. Heater's Big Buddy.

Mr. Heater has several versions of the "Buddy" line, but the Big Buddy offers the most bang for your buck. The manufacturer suggests it can heat a room up to 400 square feet, and comes with three different settings.  Initially, the Big Buddy is set to run with two 1 lb propane canisters. However, for a little extra, you can buy adapters to allow each of those connections to instead hook up to 20 lb propane tanks.

The heaters are some of the best in the market. They are stable, have a protective layer to prevent burning, and an auto shutoff should the unit become off balance. The Mr. Heater line is perfectly safe indoors, and even has its own monitoring to watch for carbon monoxide issues. I have used mine inside and outside on a cool night. These units retail for around $179, but if you watch the flyers for local department and/or hardware stores, you shouldn't have much trouble picking up one for under $100!