Without a source of fuel you don't sterilize water, you don't cook, and you probably freeze to death.
I cannot stress enough the necessity for several forms of fuel. You need a variety of fuel sources to be modified according to the climate, your immediate needs, and the availability of other fuels. Never pass by an opportunity to use some really odd things as fuel.
I recommend several dozen cans of Sterno, two or three cords of firewood, Coleman fuel, lamp oil, candles, candle wax and wicks, charcoal, kindling, pine cones, tons of matches, at least two FireSteels, a magnifying glass (remember when you were a kid?), and about five boxes of these neat little pouches that burn for about 10 minutes (there are several brands of them). Gasoline should be used ONLY for your generator if you have one. Kerosene requires ventilation, so I don't recommend it, but it is cheap and plentiful.
Batteries are another source of fuel that are overlooked. If you do have a generator I encourage you to get a couple of "Power Station" devices that can be plugged in and recharged and then used later on. Most generators run for five hours on one gallon of gasoline, and most of these power stations will charge completely in as little as one hour. At the same time as your Power Station charges you can charge your rechargable batteries for use later. If you have a set of Walkie-Talkies you'll need to have fresh batteries to get close to the range that you're promised.
I encourage everyone to purchase a few hand-crank flashlights; some of these have radios integrated into them. For a couple of minutes of effort you can have save, reliable lighting for a couple of hours. If you have kids these are ideal to give them a sense of security and empowerment over their surroundings.
Candles are excellent sources of fuel and light, but I don't recommend using them unless it is winter AND you have no other source of light. That can be dangerous and they require constant tending to be used effectively. Oil lamps are a good choice if you can place one on a sturdy table or chair away from activity that might knock it over. I recommend that you buy several yards of wick material for your oil lamps and also buy about 100 feet of candle wick. If you use jarred candles you can keep melting them down, replacing the wicks, and you'll have candles available pretty much always. If you have any used #10 cans you can use one of these to construct a "candle stove". Invert the can, use a bottle opener to punch 3 - 4 ventilation holes in the top, and cut a door to access the candle. Please not that the can will get very, very hot. I've used one of these as a portable heater when we've lost power in the past and it worked extremely well. I was able to put a small pan on top and I boiled a cup of water in five minutes.
Sterno is one of those old, standby sources of fuel that can be used for cooking in a pinch. The new stuff is pretty fume-free, but you still need to use it in a well-ventilated area. My advice is to make sure to get a sterno stove for use with the cans. This can help you to ensure it is used safely. Please practice using sterno before you bring it into your house!!!
Charcoal is one of those things that you cannot have too much of. One chunk of charcoal can help you to start your fire (outside only). Commercial charcoal is lightweight, easy to transport, and makes an ideal way to help you get a good fire started if you're on the move. Charcoal during the spring and summer months is pretty cheap to buy, and buying the stuff that is already doused with a starter is probably a good bet for anyone. Store is somewhere dry and away from any electrical or heat sources.
Chapstick. Yep..old fashioned, sticky, in the tube Chapstick is flammable. Chop off a small bit of it, smear it on a bit of kindling and you'll have a warm fire going in a few moments.
Regarding firewood, if this is going to be your sole source for heating your home you're going to need to replenish it often. If you are fortunate enough to live near heavily wooded areas I would encourage you to get out there early to start gathering wood even if you think you have more than enough. Fallen wood will be taken quickly and within a few weeks people will begin cutting down trees and will try to burn "green wood". If you must cut a tree you should be prepared to let it cure or age for about 3-6 months.
Some people have said that they'll just burn their furniture. Not a good idea since there are so many chemicals in your household furniture that are toxic.
Make sure that you have a reliable siphon kit. There are several on the market that are inexpensive, reliable, and far safer than sticking your mouth on a tube and sucking.
Propane: As a camper I keep several bottles of propane around for use with a Coleman stove and the mini heater that Coleman also makes. You can use these indoors in a pinch, but you need to make sure to put a large piece of ceramic tile underneath. You don't want to catch your wood, carpet, or vinyl flooring on fire.
I have a couple of oil-filled electric heaters in my home. While they take a while to warm up, once warmed the oil stays warm and give off heat for several hours after the power supply has been turned off. We've set up sleeping bags around this heater at night for the kids when we've lot power and they've slept comfortably.
The Sun: Not to sound like a lunatic tree hugger, but the sun provides us with a tremendous amount of energy. Learn how to capture its power. I do have a small solar panel that I have used to charge my rechargeable batteries. I've also built a solar oven in the past (though it takes about 2 hours to bake one pan of cornbread to just done). But if you've got it, and it's free, take it.
The Wind: There are detailed instructions on YouTube and all over the Internet for building your own portable wind turbine. Look them up, print out a copy, and then experiment NOW while we have the materials and the room to fail and fail again (the Thomas Edison school of applied science method).
Never underestimate the value of aluminum foil. You can use it deflect heat to where you need it.
If you've come this far with me you'll be able to understand why I'm going to give you this last-resort of fuel supply. Sorry, it's gross. In the Bible you can read stories of the Exodus. The Israelites wandered the desert for 40 years and cooked over fires made of something called shitims. What is a shitim? Well, what does the name imply? That's right. They burned not only the dung of cattle and goats, but in really hard times they burned their own. It will, according to ancient laws, defile the food and make it not worthy for sacrifice, but it is a burnable, renewable form of fuel. Dried properly it will burn nicely without much of a smell. OK...there, I said it. This would be your LAST resort, I'm sure.
My last and most important bit of advice is this: Use the least amount of fuel possible to supply your immediate needs. If you have a warm fire in your fireplace with two logs it doesn't make sense to add more wood. The hotter the fire the quicker the burn.
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