Completely new to all this.....

[nickdutch]

Welcome, Cairistiona.

Just realizing that there is a need to prepare, to be ready for simple things like an electric failure in your street, to more major things, is a great step forward. Prudent people "prepare" everyday, we just often don't call it that - we call it "making a will" or "putting in a smoke detector" or "buying car insurance". Same kind of thinking is going on here, only applied to things like lighting and heating, and food supply.

all the best to you!

Its just wize caution in practice really, but sometimes extended to other possibilities.