Last week’s storm made easier by emergency kits

Dear Editor,
A small purchase this summer for my “big one” emergency kit made a cold, snowy day this past Monday a whole lot more comfortable.
One of the first things I do every morning is make hot tea. It soothes me, wakes me up and gets me ready for the day.
The 12 inches of snow outside our windows on Monday morning made it very clear that electricity for my hot tea was not happening anytime soon. But then . . . I remembered the emergency stove. I sifted through the grey tub on the shelf in the garage and sure enough, a 1” x 4” x 5” box surfaced.
I’d never used the stove before, but with snow a foot deep I was pretty confident it was going to be a while before the microwave would be working again. I opened the box and before you know it the fuel tablet was burning and my hot water was boiling. Several cups of hot tea throughout the day made the lack of indoor heat so much more tolerable.
I encourage anyone who wants a warm drink (or anything else warm) on a day without electricity to go directly to BiMart and buy a Stansport portable fold-a-stove for $5.99. You never know when you might need it.
Jenny Carmichael
Creswell