Tool Gift Guide

12. Motorola TalkAbout SX700 lets family members communicate within a 12-mile range (and comes in pretty handy on road trips, too); about $70; Motorola
13. 50-foot electrical cord offers plenty of slack to run power tools off a portable generator; about $20; Homedepot
14. Stanley 24-gallon Mobile Job Chest makes emergency gear easy to grab and get rolling in a hurry; about $50; Stanley Tools
15. Family First-Aid Kit from the American Red Cross; about $25; Red Cross
16. Cotton and Kevlar rope, about $14, Homedepot

For a complete list of emergency essentials, visit Red Cross

TOH Tip: "Toppled trees are dangerous to work on. You need to make sure what you're cutting isn't going to spring back or fall on you. Only clear what's necessary and leave the rest for a professional." —Roger Cook, TOH landscape contractor