I suspect that most HN commentators do NOT know exactly how close to starvation and freezing and death they are (you can sit down and calculate it based on which assumptions could fail) but in the places where it gets cold you may be days or less if power fails. If your furnace can’t run without electricity how long does your house stay habitable? What backup heat do you have? If the gas lines are flowing you might be able to use a stove for awhile, or the water heater (both are often firable without electricity) - but how long will your food and water last?