Time and tide wait for no man. This is a cold truth and thank you for sharing. I certainly need more help as I've grown older.

We learned a lifetime's worth from doing the Northeast Campouts 20 yrs ago.  I don't know how to look them up in the archives, other than search NORTHEAST DIVISION and see what pops up...
A couple I remember...  on our first campout, one guy had a headlamp. Second campout, we all did!  You either understand land nav, or you don't.   Be prepared for vehicle recovery, you aren't pulling a full size truck out of the ditch with a Jeep Cherokee...  always monitor comms.  You can camp out in below zero weather if you're dressed for it.  2 is 1.  MREs and freeze dried tastes much better after you've been running around in the woods all day.  
 Regional campouts became a thing.  The SE crew backpacked in, NE  crew was able to set up some run &gun and live fire team ops, other areas had events of their own and the AARs were the best part.  What worked, what didn't,  and what we can do better...
 I miss those days...

Multiple hurricanes in SE TX all the way back to Katrina/Rita.  37 days without power from Rita.  

Generating your own electricity is stinking expensive.  We have a whole house unit (well, mostly) and run it for an hour in the morning to get ready for work, and a couple hours in the evening to get the water heater hot so mom can take a shower.  Otherwise a little 2kw genny is worth it's weight in gold to run a little window unit for sleep.  (Chain that sucker to a pole with a big chain so you would hear someone trying to get it loose. )  Some of the local creeps would sneak up at night, find someone,s push mower, pull start it, and unplug the genny and bolt.  By the time you realize your air is off, they are long gone.  

DON'T take any government money!!!  I can't tell you the number of people around here that were put in a major bind 6 months/a year later when uncle sugar came back wanting their money back WITH INTEREST!!  What a joke.  Apparently no one in my area qualified for the real free money.

Most of the rest is common sense.  You find out who is your real friend.  On the other side of that, if you see someone who needs help, and you can, help.  I have no problem cutting a tree out of the road, or helping get cows back on the fence.  Our little community pulled together and got through it.

DON'T be the dead beats lining up at the fire department for free food and water while the wind is still blowing 80 mph.  Come on people.  Every one of these storms were predicted weeks out.  I know not everyone had 500 bucks to go drop on preps, but you could have filled your tea pots with water to get through the first day at least.

JMHO
Doc

When we switched to headlamps instead of flashlights for walking itno duck holes looking woodies, it was like a revelation.I really thought they were a gimmick, and know I have them in bags and drawers. Must have 5 or 6 now!

I went back and reread this thread and wanted to add to my original. Just think things through ahead of time, so when bad things happen you're more ready. I'm also getting more into the "prep for tuesday" mindset than SHTF, but being ready for one helps you get ready for another.

Case in point this tuesday, our stand up deep freezer had shut off. Wife noticed it because the freezer alarm didn't go off. We scrambled and got everything out into a small chest freezer and yeti type cooler. So I knew we could either get the freezer fixed or buy a new one the next morning and not lose the thousands of dollars in meat we just got, as we buy half cows these days.

Always thought I was a bit crazy for having a back up deep freezer AND expensive cooler that we tested and keeps ice for days, but when you need it and use it, it makes life a whole lot easier.

All we lost was some ice cream (too soggy) and bread (I ate it) but saved all the meat.

I went back and reread this thread and wanted to add to my original. Just think things through ahead of time, so when bad things happen you're more ready. I'm also getting more into the "prep for tuesday" mindset than SHTF, but being ready for one helps you get ready for another.

Case in point this tuesday, our stand up deep freezer had shut off. Wife noticed it because the freezer alarm didn't go off. We scrambled and got everything out into a small chest freezer and yeti type cooler. So I knew we could either get the freezer fixed or buy a new one the next morning and not lose the thousands of dollars in meat we just got, as we buy half cows these days.

Always thought I was a bit crazy for having a back up deep freezer AND expensive cooler that we tested and keeps ice for days, but when you need it and use it, it makes life a whole lot easier.

All we lost was some ice cream (too soggy) and bread (I ate it) but saved all the meat.