No matter where you live, it is possible to lose power to your home. The snowstorms and high winds on the East coast make losing power a real possibility. On the West coast some deal with regular rains and storms that can create havoc for power lines and some aren’t prepared for storms, so just one hard rain can cause an outage for a whole neighborhood. The mid-west deals with all of the weather and are used to losing power, and I’m finding out that losing power on tropical islands happens as well. Thankfully we lived through many, many power outages in all parts of the country and wanted to share a few tips to getting through a short or long dark period.
What do you need to prepare for a blackout? Honestly, not a whole lot. Basics necessities are shelter, fire and water. If you live in an area that is cold in the winter, do you have a backup source for heat? If a wood stove is not an option, so you have sleeping bags and extra blankets ready to go? If you are in an area that is overly hot, do you have battery-operated fans for your small children and pets? Water is an easy one to prepare. It is suggested to have one gallon of water per person, per day. I purchased a 7 gallon storage cube and fill it before major storms are expected. This water is great for our family for a couple of days. I also like to have a few gallons of water ready to go for cooking and brushing our teeth around the house. These very basic items are easy to store out of the way of your regular day to day and are a simple way to start prepping for outages.
While the previously mentioned items are great for basic survival and necessity, there are some items that are sure to make you more comfortable during this time. Light is the number one thing to have many backup forms for. Whether you live alone or as a family, light is one thing that will make a power outage more comfortable for you. Some sources of light are flashlights (don’t forget the extra batteries), candles and small lamps that are battery powered. Candles are great to place around the house to have a visual of corners and counters, while the flashlights are perfect for reading, checking circuit breakers and locating leaks.
Food is always a hot topic during power outages. You don’t want to open your fridge or freezer to allow the items inside retain the cold temperatures, but you still need to eat. I used to have a camp stove ready to go for heating up pasta or rice dishes, as well as soup and other canned goods. If you have a grill outside, that is even better! Grill up some steaks and fresh veggies and make the most of your down time at home! If neither of these items are feasible for your family, think about having easy to eat snacks and foods like beef jerky, nuts, tuna crackers and more. These items hold some nutritional value and will hold you over until the power comes back.
How will you entertain yourself? Obviously scrolling reels on social media isn’t going to work out, but you can have backup battery packs for your cell phones and tablets. Download a few movies or Kindle books to have ready to go for reading and watching during the slow hours in the dark. Our board games come in handy for these times too. Board games aren’t regular practice in our house as we usually play them while away on camping trips, but they can be great to break out during the downtime of the storms.
I am, by no means an expert, but I have experienced many power outages over the years. These are just the basics that we do for outages expected to last longer than a few hours. The best thing to do is not to panic, and to stay calm. There is nothing you can do about a power outage. Try to remain calm and take stock of your resources and how you will spend your time. I hope this helps someone who is not used to them and if you have more to add, please add your tips in the comments for beginners!
As always, thank you for reading and joining us on this journey. We love learning and growing with you! Simply, Beth