Every June, the same lists circulate: buy batteries, fill the tub, tape the windows (don’t tape the windows). I’ve worked storm recovery after hurricanes and ice storms in multiple states. The families who do better aren’t the ones with the prettiest gear closet. They’re the ones who fixed boring problems before the wind arrived. I’m Mike – union electrical lineman in New Jersey, 21+ years. I see how storms and outages actually play out on ordinary workdays here – not just on the big-name disast