Why You Need to Prepare for a Power Outage
During a disaster or severe storm, electricity could be knocked out. Prepare for a power outage in advance to keep your family more comfortable until power is restored. There are a few things you can put together to make a power outage less of a nuisance. When you’re well prepared, you will minimize disruption to your routine.
Store Essential Items
The most important items to prepare are food and water. Generally, power outages are short, but if the outage is from a disaster, there’s no way of knowing how long you’ll be without power. It’s recommended to store 3 days worth of food and water for each family member. Stock up on things like bottled water and non-perishable food items.
Regular camping equipment can double as an excellent resource during a power outage. Prepare for a power outage by getting a camping stove that cooks food without power.
Put Together an Emergency Power Outage Kit
In addition to food, put together an emergency power outage kit with items to help you maintain relative comfort while the power is out.
Your kit should have flashlights for the entire family and plenty of batteries. Batteries are very useful during a power outage so make sure you have a good supply of them. Any extra light sources will also come in handy. LED string lights that run on solar power and candles make useful items to include.
Include tools to help you stay informed about the outage. A hand-crank or battery-powered radio will deliver the news. Solar-powered phone chargers are also a necessity, but you will probably want to limit phone use in these events.
First-aid is something that shouldn’t be ignored when putting together an emergency kit. A store-bought kit will have all the necessities. If you are purchasing items individually, make sure to have bandages, disinfectants, pain-relievers, and latex gloves. Also, include any prescription medications your family members need.
Invest In a Generator to Prepare for a Power Outage
If you have the budget, prepare for a power outage by getting a portable generator that will supply enough electricity to keep essentials like the fridge on. Although these generators only have limited output, they can be put to good use by keeping your perishable items at the right temperature.
There are a lot of generators on the market for all kinds of budgets. They are also particularly useful during winter as they can power space heaters to keep your home warm.
Prepare Your Family
A power outage kit will keep your family safe during uncertain times, but it’s useless if unused or forgotten. Make sure everyone in the family, including children, knows where the kit is located. If the power outage is caused by a natural disaster, keep your family together in a single room for safety. Plan what room this should be ahead of time so that everyone knows where to go, in the event of an outage or disaster.
Prepare for a power outage by putting a kit together in advance, as outages can occur without warning. Begin gathering these items today so that you can have peace of mind knowing your family is safer.
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