Power outages are one of the most common emergencies that occur. They can be caused by storms, accidents in which power lines are knocked down, circuit overloads, etc. Power failures can last for an extended period of time or for a brief moment, but no matter the length of time, they cause a disruption in everyday life. Power outages have affected almost everyone; it is important to prepare for power failures and to respond safely and effectively.
Before your power goes out
Make sure you have an emergency light source in all major rooms in your house such as the kitchen, hallways, family rooms, and bedrooms. Emergency light sources can include:
- Flashlight with working batteries
- Hand crank flashlight
- Rechargeable flashlights that plug into the wall. These are especially good for hallways and children’s rooms. Some rechargeable flashlights automatically turn on when there is a power failure.
- Candles and matches. Candles come in all varieties--you can set out nice candles on a shelf for a decoration, or keep wax emergency candles or liquid paraffin candles in a drawer for when you need them. Liquid paraffin is smokeless and odorless so it is good for indoors. Don’t keep matches in reach of your small children, but always know where they are so you can Replace them when they are needed.
Other items that are good to consider having available before a power outage are:
- Battery or handcrank operated radio
- Wind-up clock
- Extra fuses
- Manual can opener
Prepare your small children beforehand so they are not scared when they are caught in the dark. Warn them of the chances of a power outage and give instructions regarding a meeting place. Show them where they can Replace a flashlight. You could even carry out a mock power failure so they know what to expect when it really happens. Another concern to consider when the power goes out is heat and water supply. When the power goes out, the furnace will not work. If you have a well and an electric pump powers the supply of your water, it will also be cut off in a power outage. Therefore, you may want to prepare your home by having extra blankets, a portable heater, or a wood burning stove for heat, and always have water stored for those times. Additionally,
ready.gov offers six helpful tips for preparing for power outages if you have advanced notice:
- Conserve energy to keep the use of electricity as low as possible (turn off lights when not in a room, power down your computer, unplug electronics, etc.). This can help power companies avoid rolling blackouts.
- Fill plastic containers with water and place them in the refrigerator or freezer, if there's room. Leave about an inch of space inside each container because water will expand as it freezes. Place these frozen or chilled containers in your fridge or freezer to keep foods cold while the power is out.
- If you take medication that must be refrigerated, know that you can still keep those medications in the fridge for several hours during a power outage and it will still be ok to use. If you don't want to risk it, ask your doctor or pharmacist how long it will keep without power.
- Since gas stations use electricity to power their pumps, always keep your gas tank half full.
- Know where the manual release lever of your garage door is located and how to use it.
- Keep a key to your house with you if you usually use the garage door to enter your home. Having this key will ensure that you can get in even if the power is out.
What to do when your power goes out
When your power goes out, first check to see if your neighbors have power. If you are the only home without electricity, check the main fuse in your electric service panel or fuse box to see if the main circuit breaker has been tripped or if a fuse has blown. If you don’t know how to check, consult a qualified electrician. If your neighbors do not have electricity either, then you know there has been a power outage in your area.
- Report your power outage to your local utility company so they know which area has lost power, especially in a storm. Only call once to report your outage.
- Turn off all major non-essential appliances such as your electric range and washer/dryer. Turn off the majority of your light switches, but leave a few on so you know when the power has been restored. This reduces the electrical demand once the power has been restored.
- Unplug sensitive electronic equipment such as your TV, personal computer, VCR and microwave. This will reduce chance of damage caused by electric surges.
- Try to keep your refrigerator and freezer doors closed to conserve the cold inside. You never know how long the power will be out, and you don’t want your food to spoil.
- Open the window shades to allow more light to come in.
Take the time to prepare for a power outage and to gain the knowledge needed to respond safely and effectively during the emergency. A few simple preparations can greatly reduce the inconveniences caused by a power outage.
10 comments
Rachel Frampton
My family and I just recently moved into our new home, and I know that there’ll be a possibility that power outage will occur, that’s why I’m searching for some tips on how to handle such a dilemma. Thank you for mentioning the importance of keeping the gas tank half full, as it can be used for electricity purposes. That’s why an excellent electrical service is needed in this type of case. https://basinie.com/electrical-1
J.R.
All good ideas. I believe the priorities should be:
1. Bottled water. I gallon per person per day. And same for your pets. We need water to survive.
2. Heat source (for winter). A good wood burning stove or a propane heater designed for indoors. Make sure you also have enough fuel. A good sleeping bag retains heat while sleeping.
3. Necessary medications.
4. Food for you and your pets. Canned foods do not have to be re-hydrated or warmed up. Buy a little extra each time you shop and soon you’ll have a good stock.
5. A good oil lamp or hurricane lamp. Lamp oil is the fuel and is safe indoors.
6. Sanitation supplies. Baby wipes, Wizzie Wipes, cornstarch (when you cannot wash your hair).
If you have all these in place, you should be fine.
Greg Hall
You guys are always talking about using candles. There are far more houses burnt down with candles than with a Kerosene lantern or table lamp.
R A Myers
Ref: Substitute Sleeping Bags
Keep as much insulation under you as over you.
Under you insulation can be blankets, air mattress, floor/crawl space insulation, carpeting, futon/mattress or layers of corrugated cardboard.
For babies a couch cushion or a pillow may be used.
Baby sleeping bags"
With all of the materiel on hand, and the pattern before me, I set out to
construct the best sleeping bag possible. My wife was not to happy as I managed
to break every sewing machine needle in the house. A trip to town for more, and
many hours later
beprepared
Hi Albert,
You could use blankets, emergency sleeping bags that reflect body heat, hand and body warmers, propane powered heaters, etc. Check out the warmth section of our website for more ideas for emergency warmth http://beprepared.com/essential-gear/warmth-1.html.
albert
how would you stay warm if you don’t have a fire place
GrandPa Chuck
First and fore most remember that you have to start somewhere. Many people feel they just can’t afford to jump into buying hundreds of dollars worth of survival equipment. Being a little prepared is better than none at all. So do your research on the net and come up with a plan. Start with the most important things first. Maybe even print out good ideas and put them in a 3 hole note book. You will be surprised at how fast your emergency supplies will grow as well as your families knowledge on reacting to any national or local emergency.
Mr Ed
Earthquake proof canned goods(especially glass) chicken wire "doors" tied closed.
nancy
Those solar patio lights are really nice. I put one in each room in a bucket of sand, when the power goes out. Then put them outside during the day to recharge. No electricity needed.