Step 5 – Make Fuel, Heating and Power Plan

You could be without power for a long time after a large disaster.  This means that you’re going to need to rely on other sources of fuel to do your cooking.  At a minimum … make sure you have a way to boil water!  Your freeze dried meals will need that. Consider having a couple of different options.

Also think about how you are going to stay warm when the power is out.  This is particularly important for people who live in the colder parts of the country.

Lastly, don’t forget about your mobile phones.  They are your main mode of communication after a disaster.  The batteries will run out and you will need to charge them.  Have a way to charge them using backup batteries and solar power.

ACTION 1: Pick your preferred fuel, heating and power methods

Go down the lists below and decide what you would realistically want to purchase. There are options for every budget.

If you can’t decide …

If you can’t decide, here is what I’d consider the quick answer:

1. Everyone should have one stove that can be used indoors, especially if you are an apartment dweller.
   Inexpensive:  The Sterno folding stove is only $5 and Sterno Catering fuel is $20 for a 6 pack.  Each Sterno fuel can lasts 2 hours.  The downside to the Sterno stove is that it does not burn very hot.
   More expensive: The Iwatani Butane stove ($32) offers a powerful burner that can be used indoors with good ventilation.  A butane canister will last 2-4 hours depending on how high you set your burner.  Butane cans are about $2 each (less at asian markets).
2. If you own an outdoor BBQ, then make sure you’ve got at least 3 tanks of 20 lb propane (not just the tanks … make sure they are filled!).   When shopping for an outdoor BBQ, get one with a burner so that you will be able to use that in an emergency.
3. If you don’t own an outdoor BBQ and you are NOT an apartment dweller, then get some bags of charcoal briquettes. It is easy to create a make-shift grill with rocks or a flower pot.  And the charcoal can be used with a dutch oven.
4. If your food plan includes baked items, then get a dutch oven. It’s incredibly versatile–it can be a pot for soups, an oven for muffins or a griddle for pancakes.  It requires charcoal to generate heat, so be sure to buy bags of briquettes.
5. If you want to plan for heating, then invest in a Mr. Heater Portable Heater because they can be used indoors.  Make sure you have a really good stock of propane on hand!
6. Finally, do NOT forget about your phones. You will want to be able to communicate with others. Invest in a good solar panel charging station.

Fuel Products

Stoves for boiling water

If you store a lot of freeze dried meals for emergency food, then you will need a way to boil water. So I’m going to first cover fuel options for stove tops. I will list them starting with the most frugal options. I’m NOT recommending that you purchase all of these for fuel. Pick the one that fits your budget and your needs.

Product	Description/Links	Notes
	BBQlighter	This is an important tool in your fuel plan since a lot of these options require a flame.
	Tin Can Stove	The most economical option is to build a camp stove from a tin can. Makezine provides detailed instructions on how to do this. I'm not sure how efficient this type of oven will be, especially if you need to boil a lot of water. I would test it out before relying on it for a disaster situation.
	Bags of charcoal briquettes	Briquettes are great because they are very economical and you can use them with a grill or a dutch oven (these are covered in the oven section below). You can get very inexpensive grills for under $20 at hardware or general stores like Target and Walmart. If you are on a tight budget, you can create a grill using a flower pot. I keep one bag of charcoal in a sealed plastic box in the garage. It is my backup and will be used for my Dutch Oven baking.  A very useful accessory for charcoal cooking is a briquette or chimney starter.
	20 lb Propane for BBQ	I recommend getting the propane tanks locally. A propane BBQ is an excellent resource for cooking during an emergency.  If you're going to rely on your outdoor BBQ for cooking, then make sure you have a good supply of propane! I keep 3 tanks on hand at all times. The more the better. The downside to the BBQ is that it must be used outdoors.
	Esbit Ultralight Folding Stove with Fuel	This is a great economic and portable option for fuel (you can easily add this to your bug out bag). One tablet of fuel boils 500 ml (2 1/4 cups) of water in 8 minutes. You can buy the fuel cubes in a 12 pack for $12 at Amazon as an Add-on item. Reviewers note that they have used charcoal and even tea light candles with this stove, so you are not limited to the fuel tablets. The Esbit fuel is NOT safe for indoor use.
	Sterno Folding Stove and Sterno Cooking Fuel	This stove is economical AND uses a fuel that can be used indoors.  Sterno Entertainment Cooking Fuel is safe to use indoors. Each can burns up to 2 hours.  It is what caterers use to keep food warm. This is a good option for apartment dwellers who may not be allowed to have a BBQ on the premises.
	Coleman Bottle Top Propane Stove	This stove is economical, practical and easy to store. If you are preparing meals for a family, then you will need to boil at least 4-6 cups of water with each meal. This Coleman stove can manage an 8 inch pan. I think it would be risky to put a big pot of water on it though. A 16.4 oz propane tank will give 2.5 hours of heat on high. Purchase propane tanks at a local store or on Amazon. Propane is NOT safe for indoor use.
	Ohuhu Portable Wood Burning Stove	The advantage of this stove is that it burns wood which you could gather outside. According to the Amazon page, it can also use charcoal or Sterno alcohol-based fuel (see notes above on Sterno fuel).
	Ohuhu Camp Stove Windshield	Protects the stove against wind in case you need to use it outdoors during bad weather.
	Iwatani Portable Butane Burner	This is a GREAT option for people who live in apartments.  It uses butane and this particular burner is CSA Commercial Indoor Approved. It is rated for Commercial Indoor use because it requires proper ventilation for indoor use, so be sure to have good ventilation if you use it indoors. I own one of these and it heats things very quickly.
	Butane for Iwatani Stove	You'll need specific Butane canisters for the Iwatani Stove. You can sometimes find deals at asian stores.
	Coleman Classic Propane Stove	This is a nice stove that provides two burners and also uses the small propane tanks. We bought this for camping. I like that it takes the same propane tanks as Mr. Heater so that I can use the fuel for either the stove or the heater. You can purchase the small propane tanks locally or on Amazon.
	BioLite Wood Burning Campstove	This is an expensive option, BUT the wood burning camp stove can also charge your phone! So it's another option for "Power" as well.
	BioLite Wood Burning Campstove with Portable Grill, KettlePot and USB FlexLight	You can purchase the BioLite Kettle and Grill separately, but it is more economical to buy the entire kit if you plan to also purchase those items.
	Camping Cookware	If you see yourself needing to boil water in an evacuation scenario, then you'll need a pot. A more economical solution is to just throw a small pot and wooden spoon into your BOB.
	Volcano Portable Camping Grill	I list this last because it's not cheap, but it's compact, versatile (in terms of fuel) and very efficient. You can use propane (connects to a 20 lb tank), charcoal or wood. I like to have an option that uses wood in case I run out of all of my fuel. I can always find some wood! It's portable, so you can easily take it camping or tailgating. Here is a Volcano Collapsible Grill Review.
	Volcano Propane Valve Adapter	This valve adapter will allow you to connect the Volcano Grill to a propane tank.
	Camping Stove and Oven	This is the top of the line camping stove! It runs off of propane and has the advantage of being both a stove and an oven. I'm considering buying one of these to be my second oven during holidays. Cooks up to 5 hours on high heat with 1 pound can of propane.

Ovens for Baking

You’ll need an oven if you want to integrate baking into your emergency food.  Dutch ovens are a great way to cook in an emergency!  All you need are some charcoal briquettes on the top and bottom of the dutch oven to generate heat. The ovens are incredibly versatile. You can make soup and stews in the pot/, you can bake in it/, or you can flip the lid over to make it into a grill for pancakes.

Below are some options to make baking possible. My personal favorite is of course the dutch oven. But I’ve also included an oven that runs on propane.

Heating and Power