Fish
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Spare filters and filter media
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Battery pumps for air stones - this provides necessary oxygen in the water
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Proper size of batteries for pumps(!)
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Blanket for maintaining tank temperature in cold weather
- Hand warmer packs and duct tape - to tape to glass (under blankets) in cold weather to keep tank heated.
I am a relatively new fishkeeper, and still learning all that is involved with aquariums. This was my first major outage with my fish, and they are quite sensitive to power interruptions. Thankfully, I had previously printed out this emergency fish care article from the Fresh Aquarium site at About.com, and was able to review what I needed to do to keep my fish alive. I read this article about a year ago, and had actually purchased battery powered air pumps long before this outage. I was pleased with my forethought until I discovered that I didn't have the proper batteries on hand during the outage! So much for planning. I went to town to get batteries, and I do believe that these pumps helped save my fish. While I had plenty of AA batteries, I did not have enough of the D batteries that the pumps required. Lesson learned.
I unplugged all of my filters, lights, and heaters during the outage, since the filters can actually be harmful to your tank after they have been off for awhile. A complete cleansing and replacing of filter media before turning the filters back on is necessary for the health of your fish. Additionally, if there is a power surge when the power comes back on, equipment such as heaters could be ruined. Wait until the power has been on for 10-15 minutes before plugging in the aquarium electrical components.
For tips on how to keep your tanks powered during an outage, please see this article by the Saltwater Fish Guides at About.com: Being Prepared For a Power Outage Any Time.
Basic emergency list.
Please see above articles for more detailed emergency fish care.
Birds
Indoor birds can be quite sensitive to drafts and changes in temperature. Have a towel or blanket handy to reduce the change of your bird catching a cold due to temperature changes. Make sure to have adequate ventilation (do not use plastic wrap or too heavy of a blanket!) while protecting your bird. Here are some bird tips from the About.com Guide for Birds: First Aid for Birds.
My birds are not indoor birds, they are outdoor birds -- chickens and geese. Other than the usual need for fresh water and food, they can do fairly well without power. I have taken measures to insulate their housing, and in extreme weather, I can further seal up the coop.
As it so happens, I had just picked up five day-old chicken hatchlings the afternoon of the storm. I had just set them up with their heat lamp, fresh water, and food. Two hours later, the power went out. They most likely would not have survived during the outage. One possible way that I could have helped them would be to find a water bottle, heat some water with a camp stove, and kept them warm. (Careful not to have it too warm - they are sensitive to burns.) That, or hold them in a blanket all night. Thankfully, I have two hens who were just waiting for the chance to become mothers. They were "broody", meaning that they will sit on a nest until eggs hatch. Trouble is, there were no eggs in their nest at the time! So I brought them in, introduced them to the chicks, and after a few minutes of confusion, everyone settled in for the night. These two hens have now taken over the care of the chicks completely. Adult chickens that aren't broody wouldn't likely nest with the chicks and may even harm them, so I was lucky to have two hens who were broody and willing to accept the task of raising the chicks.
Needless to say, I was glad when the power came back on. I realized how much I take for granted! It is easy to forget everything that you need once the power is back and life settles back into its normal rhythm, but take time to check your emergency items, know where they are, and replenish or replace any items that are low.
