The big problem with a fireplace is that it's about 10% efficient. Modern fireplaces are terrible. The epitomie of efficiency was the Rumford fireplace:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rumford_fireplace//
When I was in the 9th grade, I lived in a building built in the late 1700's. The fireplace would heat the room with one piece of wood. We put in three split pieces once and had to open the windows.
We live in Boston and try to be ready for a power outage even though theyve been extremely rare: total of two hours in 13 years, both in summer. We got a touch of snow. Gas stations near the highways get busy but the local stations, which charge 10 cents a gallon more were deserted.
A few random thoughts:
In the ice storm of 2008 I had to get gas on the way to CT, near the border. The Pilot truck stop I usually use had no power. Used the Garmin to call all the nearest gas stations, and found one a mile away that had power, gas, and coffee.
My V-Strom motorcycle has a 12V plug and a 5.8 gallon gas tank. Several guys in NJ used them as their 65hp cell phone chargers. Alternator output is relatively high for a bike (450w) but not enough to charge much more than that. But at idle 5 gallons would last 25 hours.
We use Stabil Marine Ethanol formula stabilizer and keep two five gallon cans for the snow thrower and generator.
I've asked my wife never to let her gas tank go below half full in Winter.
If you know a storm is coming a few days early, partially fill gallon milk jugs with water and freeze them. They'll keep the fridge cool a long time. Or make chunks of ice in your freezer. Freeze what you can, then put it back in the fridge when the power goes off.
Take small items that you use up like milk or cold cuts and put them in a small cooler so you don't have to open the fridge or freezer.
Multi-LED Headlamps are expensive but work much better than flashlights and will often run several days on two or three AAA cells.
Shelf life of modern batteries is measured in years. You can buy 48 AAA cells at Costco for $17, while consumer packs are a lot more expensive.
Pay for everything you buy for a week with $20s. Put that weeks worth of $1's, $5's and $10's in your safe: no one can make change without power.
The Coleman High Pressure Hose and Adapter will allow you to use your 25lb propane tank with a propane camp stove or lantern.
Bought a printed family medical guide. There's lots of medical info available online, but if you don't have power or internet, that won't do you much good.