If Hurricane Sandy taught anything, it was this: Nearly anyone can suddenly become a caveman for several days or even weeks.

It didn’t matter where you were located. (Widthy swathes in New York City that aren’t normally associated with extreme weather systems lost heat, power, and hot water. Social status was also affected. (The Eastern seaboard’s homes of the wealthy and the poor were equally destroyed.

Here are some lessons from the superstorm that will help you to avoid becoming a future statistic.

* Generators alone don’t cut it. Websites like Ready.gov advise people to “install a generator for emergencies.”It is often forgotten that generators can cause respiratory problems in tight spaces. That one error was linked to at least nine fatalities. Manhattan’s Lenox Hill Hospital physician Dr. Robert Glatter called it. “a major concern of public health officials after the storm.”

* Cash is still king. What did you discover? It doesn’t work in power outages! ATM machines. ATM machines. “$100 emergency bill in a safe at home”Help your neighbors.

* Fortify your roof.The most severe damage was done to roofs by the strong winds. Although there isn’t much you can do to stop trees from smashing through roofs, homeowners might have been able to get off easier if they listened carefully to Jason Joplin (program manager of the Center for the Advancement of Roofing Excellence). “Always install a drip edge to prevent wind-driven rain from entering the roof fascia and deck.”He also mentions that the pre-cut Starter Strip Shingles line from GAF (www.gaf.comNorth America’s largest roof manufacturer, , includes the industry’s top ten. “strongest and most properly positioned adhesive to help prevent blow-off.”

* Avoid your basement. Many people died in the storm surge. Artur Kasprzak, a hero cop, was also killed. He raced into his basement on Staten Island to search for his father, and was electrocuted by the live wire. “People don’t think this could happen, but it did,””Said his sister.

This is the last resort for looters and survivors who refuse to evacuate. “Hang a glow-stick somewhere near the window,”Take your belongings with you.