You probably have a handful of candles or a flashlight laying around your home in case your power goes out, but are you really ready for an emergency? What would you do if you lost power for a week? It may seem unlikely that you'll lose power for an entire week. However, even small storms can cause power outages, and if it's a widespread problem, you could be without power for an extended amount of time. You need to be prepared, but what type of items should you have on hand? Start preparing your home by purchasing a few of these things.
Food
During a power outage, you need one of two things -- food that doesn't require cooking or a cooking method that doesn't require electricity. Ideally, you should have both. If you have a gas stove, great. If not, consider purchasing a grill. If you're purchasing a grill specifically for emergencies, you don't need to purchase something expensive. Instead, opt for a small charcoal grill. Also, you should purchase enough fuel for your grill to last you two weeks. You should also store enough food items to last your family two weeks. Some things to purchase include:
- Pasta
- Canned goods
- Condiments
- Cereal
- Oatmeal
- Powdered milk
- Rice
- Beans
If you can, purchase a small generator to use during power outages. This way, you can use the generator to run your refrigerator and/or freezer so that the food you have on hand doesn't spoil.
Light Sources
Lighting is especially important if you have children in your home. Not only is sitting in a completely dark home boring, for smaller kids, it can be scary. So, make sure you have long-burning candles, a lighter and/or matches, flashlights, and batteries on hand at all times. Alternatively, you could use a kerosene lamp or solar lantern.
Alternative Heat Source
If your power goes out in the winter and you live in a colder climate, you'll need to find a way to stay warm. If the power outage only lasts a day or two, you could move your family into one room and close off the room from the rest of the house to hold the heat in. Between your family's body heat, extra blankets, layers of clothes, and the small amount of heat generated from candles, you'll be okay for a short amount of time. If you're worried about losing power for an extended amount of time, purchase a portable propane heater, propane, and a carbon monoxide alarm that doesn't require electricity.
If the area that you live in is prone to power outages, you should consider purchasing a generator from a company like South Shore Generator Service Inc. Even smaller generators generate enough electricity to operate some of your appliances and a few lamps. This way, your family members don't need to alter their lives too much while waiting for the power to return.
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