What to do when the power is out
Power outages are inevitable. Being prepared for one is mandatory. Depending on whether the power goes out during the day or the night, the situation will call for different responses.
Be ready for both scenarios. If your power goes out during the day, you don’t have to rush to gather flashlights and light candles. However, you should still have them handy and know where extra batteries are located. See below for more basic tips on how to prepare for a power outage.
- Flashlights. Check the batteries often. I know I’ve left batteries in flashlights for too long and they got that dreaded white battery acid crust and were ruined. I don’t even keep batteries in all of my flashlights and lanterns, but have the batteries handy if I need them.
- A stock of fresh batteries, for obvious reasons.
- Candles, matches, and lighters.
- Full gas cans. They won’t be useful if they’re empty!! Don’t forget to rotate out the old gas with new gas.
- A generator if you’re able to have one. There are several kinds you can choose from: portable generators to ones that kick on right when your power goes out. Whatever kind you have, be sure to maintain it and use it SAFELY!
- Water. You need it to stay hydrated, but you also need it to cook and bath. How much water do you have stored?
- Food. If your power is out for an extended period of time, the food in your fridge is going to go bad if you don’t have a generator. Use that food first and open the fridge as little as possible. If it’s cold enough outside, you can get away with keeping perishables outside – keep it in a secure object so animals can’t get to it.
Don’t forget the kids! Some kids may think it’s an adventure, and others may be scared. Every child is different, so be sure to talk to your children and prepare them for what your family will do in the event of a power outage. This way, there are no surprises. Have games that don’t require power, craft activities to keep them busy, games for older kids to play, and make sure each child has their own flashlight.
What else should you do?
- Assess what’s going on. What’s the source of the power outage, why did the power go out?
- Did we know that a power outage was a possibility, from an impending storm, or was it an unexpected outage?
- Assess weather outside. Are there gusting winds, are you mid-storm, or do you have calm weather? Decide whether you wait it out if it’s storming, or start prepping the generator. Either way, gather flashlights and candles and have them ready for nightfall.
- If you have power lines down on your house, stay away from them. The power company will eventually send Linemen by to fix those downed lines. Have patience for them, who knows what these guys are dealing with elsewhere. You can contact your power company to let them know of the outage if you are able to do that.
- Know where your main power shut off is located in your home. Turn the main power source off in your home if you have downed lines from your home. The Linemen’s safety could be at risk if you have downed wires from your home.
What do you do to prepare for power outages?
Original author: J. Felix