Your sports team is about to score or you’re on the cusp of hearing the juicy secret of your favorite show, and then suddenly your house goes dark.
It shouldn’t surprise you if your power grid goes down in the middle of a nasty thunderstorm. But are you prepared for an outage due to grid failure or electrical issues? It’s smart to have your supplies and back-up plan ready in case this happens.
Usually, the power only goes out for several moments, and there are simple steps you can take to minimize an outage’s impact on your daily routine. Keep the fridge closed to preserve cold air, light some candles, and do your best to not run down your phone battery scrolling through your feed. Simple stuff; but every once and a while, an outage can last for days, or in worse-case scenarios, even weeks.
Here are some tips you should follow when the power just isn’t coming back on:
- Grab Your Blackout Kit
Put together your emergency gear bag, which should have everything you need to survive in case of an outage. Not sure what to put in it? Take a look at this list, or better yet check out a comprehensive fully equipped survival package provided by Outbreak Provisions!
- Stay Up To Date On All Relevant Info
If you have access to a smartphone with data and internet, be sure to check the news, social media, and your local power company’s website for updates on the outage. If you have a generator, turn it on. If you don’t have a generator, your car can be used as a temporarily to charge your devices.
- Be Prepared For Outages In Winter
If the power goes out in the middle of the winter, you need to have warm clothes and thermal blankets on-hand. The outage may last for several days, in which case you’ll need to conserve heat. Keep your extra layers and blankets in an easy location so you can access them when need-be.
- Have Multiple Light Sources Ready To Go
Take our your flashlight and candles to light up your space at night. You’ll also want to make sure you have fully-charged back-up batteries in your bag, in case the outage lasts a little longer than anticipated. Solar-powered chargers are especially helpful in a situation like this, but only during the day! You’ll need batteries in case the power goes out at night.
- Dont Forget The Essentials
Food and water are crucial to keep in mind during longer power outages. If you can’t access water during an outage you can fill a bathtub for filtration water. Fill locking freezer bags with water and store them in the freezer in case you need them. During an outage, they will help to preserve the cold temperature within the freezer. Move your food into the freezer to prevent it from going bad and try and keep the door closed so that the cold air doesn’t leak.
- Have Everything You Need In Order To Cook
You might need to make a fire at some point if you can’t get your stove working – gather items that you can use as fire fuel. A camping stove in your garage or outside is never a bad idea if you have an electric stove that will never work without power.
- Unplug Everything Plugged In That Isn’t Surge-Protected
It is possible that when the power returns, it could surge and ruin your TV or your computer. That’s the last thing you need after a power outage. Unplugging your electronics will keep them safe and ensure you can go about your normal routine once things return to normal…without having to call any warranty or insurance companies.
Photo via Unsplash
You might not have an emergency bag on hand right now, but there’s no better time to prepare one! You can make it easy for yourselves with Outbreak Provisions 72 Hour Emergency Kits. Instead of having to prepare everything separately, you can just order one kit with all of the essentials on this list to save time. Anything can happen – always be prepared.
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