If the power goes out, all you need to do is light some candles and wait, right? Not necessarily. A little preparedness can avoid big problems down the road. Here are some things to do to prepare for a power outage of up to a few hours duration, For longer term outages, of course you'll need food and other supplies.
1. Prepare an emergency kit with at least two flashlights with extra batteries, plus matches and candles. Keep them in a known place so that you can find them in the dark. Don't store the batteries in the freezer, as you'll want to get them without having to open the freezer. Also store a few gallons of water to tide you over if fresh water isn't available. Keep the phone number of the electric company handy, and report the outage as soon as possible.
2. Consider an alternate heat source, as power outages often occur during winter storms. Keep some wood or Duraflame logs handy. Be sure the fireplace/chimney or wood-burning stove is in working order and don't forget to open the flue.
3. Consider an alternate cooking source, such as a camp stove (store extra propane cylinders safely). Better to have lots of ready-to-eat snacks on hand such as granola bars, trail mix, and jerky.
4. Make sure you have an emergency plan in place for anyone with a medical condition. Make sure your family knows the plan. Account for pets if applicable (and have food/water available for the pet as well).
5. Cordless phones won't work when the power is out. Use a traditional corded phone, as the phone lines provide their own power supply, which works even when the main electricity goes out. Cell phones are another option, but expect circuits to be jammed in an emergency.
6. Make sure there is gas in the car and that you have a viable alternative should you need to leave your property. In most cases, it is best to shelter in place.
7. Consider a battery back up for your sump pump. This will prevent the basement from flooding if power goes out during a rainstorm.
8. Consider a UPS (uninterruptible power supply) for your computer. This should give you time to shut it down in the case of a power outage without losing any pending work. It is also handy for intermittent power dips that would otherwise crash your computer or cause them to reboot.
9. Consider a backup generator, such as one that is gasoline powered and can be rented or purchased from home supply stores. Natural gas generators are increasingly popular. They are installed permanently and kick on automatically if electricity is out. Assuming natural gas is still being supplied to your house, the generator will create enough electricity to power critical appliances such as your sump pump, refrigerator, and a few lights.
See the companion article "What to Do During a Power Outage"
posted on Fri, 18 Mar 2005 at 15:12 | path: /house | perma link
