Black Out

Black Out

Do you remember the last black out or power outage? Was it cold, dreary and wet or hot and humid? Whatever the weather condition I’m sure there are some things you wish you could have done differently. Colder weather is upon us and so are wind and snow storms. As you know this can lead to a power outage.

We have all been there, the electric goes out and we say, “it will come on soon”. sometimes it does and other times it doesn’t. The Electric company says they are working on it. Meanwhile we are freezing and hungry. This year lets take a different approach. Lets get prepared for the next power outage so it will be less uncomfortable.

Government guidelines as well as experts in the survival industry suggest having a three day supply of food and water. One gallon of water per person per day is recommended. Communication with others around you can be key to getting out of a tough situation. An old wall phone is good to have in your house because cordless phones don’t work when the electric is off and sometimes cell phones don’t work either.

Another priority is keeping warm. The most obvious is to keep warm clothes and blankets for everyone in the house. If you have other sources for heat be sure to use carbon monoxide and fire hazard precautions. We don’t want to make our situation worse. A lantern or candles can be good light sources during a long black out. Flashlights are great too especially when traveling from room to room.

If you have children it is important to assess their warmth frequently especially if the weather is cold. If your children are old enough it would be a good time to teach them about the dangers of the alternative heat source you are using. Hypothermia can result with exposure to cold temperatures. It also might be good to have a game or cards in the house or in your survival kit to help entertain the people you are with during this crisis. Even though you may be at your house during a power outage it can get boring just waiting for the electricity to come on. On a positive note this could be a good time for some good family bonding.

Lastly, always take in consideration your neighbors, especially if they are older and may need help even if it’s just making sure that they are using their alternative heating sources safely.