Air Conditioner

Since you live in an apartment you are probably not allowed to have a generator. Consider the following for minor back up power in an apartment, to run a small TV , radio, or electric light.

1. Buy a 400-600 watt  AC/DC inverter from Wal-mart (auto section), Sams, truck stop, or other auto store.($50-100).This is a device that converts car batteries (12 volts) to normal household AC power. Truckers use them to power various appliances in their semi trucks. 

2. Buy a car battery (12 volt, I get the smaller ones for my wife due to the reduced weight) and the marine battery case to fit it. Try to get the same size car battery as for your car, you can use it as a backup for your car, or you can use your car to recharge the battery. Put the battery in the plastic box so that if the battery ever leaks , the apartment will not be damaged.The Coast Guard requires boats put their batteries in plastic boxes so that if they leak the acid will not go into the water, so Wal-mart has many of these. (Cost $50-Wal-mart battery and black box)

3. Buy some 25 watt bulbs. When the electricity goes off you merely connect the inverter to the battery (the red clamp to the positive terminal, the black clamp to the negative terminal)  and plug in your regular lamp with the 25 watt bulb to the electrical outlet on the inverter. A charged car battery will run the 25 watt bulb for about 3 1/2 hours of continous use, or a small TV about 2 hours. A 25 watt bulb is very bright when everyone else is on candles.

We used these here in Florida during hurricanes, and gave each kid their own for their  Xbox and small TV. Also get a cheap 5" fan from Walmart ($10) which doesn't use much power. 

It doesn't sound like we are going to get much warning. Who has said they will only change the level when it goes to 6.  So be prepared to go on a minute's notice.