It's the middle of the night and gale-force winds are rattling your shutters, torrential rain is pounding the rooftop, and lightning and thunder have you wanting to pull the covers over your head. Suddenly the nightlight near your bed goes dark, the radio you were tuned into for weather updates is silenced and the purr of your furnace is no more.

An emergency kit containing flashlights and a battery-operated radio will solve part of a power-outage problem. And extra blankets might come in handy. But these items will provide only temporary relief. They don't safeguard you from the chaos that a prolonged period without power can bring. A flooded basement, spoiled food, bone-chilling temperatures, a downed security system and no running water (if you have a well pump) can make your life during this period miserable, costly and even unsafe.

And, power outages don't occur only in winter. Soaring temperatures and the demand for relief overload utility company resources resulting in blackouts. Minor inconvenience is one thing, but extreme temperatures are a significant health risk for the very young or very old and should not be taken lightly.

Count yourself lucky if you've never been caught with your power down. According to a report issued by the White House, the average American household experiences 13 hours of power outages each year...and that's not including weather-related ones, which average 72 hours when a big storm hits. Moreover, growing demand for power to operate home computers, fax machines, modern appliances, televisions and air conditioners are contributing to more frequent outages as demand exceeds supply.

What should you do to prepare for an outage? Have on hand a portable generator or an emergency backup power system.

Most folks are familiar with a gas-powered portable generator. You crank it up just as you would a lawn mower and it provides power to onboard outlets that you can plug into. While small portable generators produce enough power for most camping equipment and many small household appliances, a nine-horsepower, 5,000- watt model produces enough power to operate a host of essential household appliances such as a furnace fan, refrigerator, sump pump, several lights and even a television.

And thanks to technology, many homeowners are converting their gasoline-powered portable generators into emergency backup power systems with the addition of a transfer switch. This switch, which must be installed by a licensed electrician, manually switches power from the generator directly to the electrical circuit box in the event of a power outage. Thus, there's no need to string extension cords all over your house from the generator to specific appliances.

There's a new item on the residential block that has been a necessity for public buildings such as hospitals for as long as we can remember...a stationary generator. As an onsite backup source of power, a stationary generator automatically kicks in when the primary power source fails. Now, you can enjoy this same convenience by having your own stationary home generator. Most range in size from 8,500 watts to 15,000 watts and can power multiple high-wattage appliances such as air conditioners and refrigerators. Coleman Powermate's new PowerStation emergency backup system is connected to the home's natural gas line or an extra large propane tank, eliminating the need to keep the tank filled with gasoline.

A stationary home generator resembles and is about the size of the central air-conditioning compressor that sits outside your home. The beauty of this system is that it will automatically deliver electricity to the home within seconds after the initial power loss, so you don't have to deal with plugging any cords into the generator. You get not only convenience, but also peace of mind in knowing you have a backup power source standing by.

Wondering what size generator will best meet your needs? Visit the Coleman Powermate website at www.colemanpowermate.com