3 Tips For Always Being Prepared For A Power Outage
Power Outage: No matter the time of year or the weather. There’s always a chance that something could happen that will cause a power outage. Whether that be a malfunction with your local electrical company, a powerful summer storm. Or something more menacing like an EMP. It’s always a good idea to be prepared for the worst so that you’re not caught off guard.
Power OutageWith the right forethought and preparation, you can be prepared for a few hours to a few days. Without having power coming to your home. So to ensure you and your family are able to remain safe and comfortable during this time. Here are three tips for always being prepared for a power outage.
Stockpile An Emergency Supply
When the power’s out at your home, it’s likely going to be out at other areas around you. So as well, including grocery stores. Because of this, it can be very helpful if you already have an emergency stockpile ready at your home. In order to keep yourself and your family safe and fed.
In this emergency stockpile kit, Dana McMahan, a contributor to NBC News.com, advises that you put together things. Like enough water for one gallon per day for each person in your home, a three-day supply of non-perishable food, flashlights, and extra batteries at the very least. If you think of anything else that you’ll need, like dog food or certain medications. Make sure you include those things in your emergency kit as well.
Know-How To Properly Use A Generator
For many people, it’s worth it to buy a generator on the chance that they’ll be without power for a while. A generator can help you run things that are normally run by electricity, like your refrigerator, freezer, or medical equipment.
Keep in mind, however, that there’s a safe and unsafe way to use a generator. According to the Red Cross, you need to be very careful about the fumes that are put off from using a generator. Ideally, you should run your generator outside so you’re not filling your home with carbon monoxide. Additionally, you should have carbon monoxide monitors around your home to alert you if the levels get too high.
Keep Things Full
Not only should you be worried about things that are always using electricity to stay running, but you’ll also want to ensure that anything that uses batteries or other fuel is always at least half full so you can still use them even if the power’s out.
According to Ready.gov, the most important things to keep full are your cell phone battery and your gas tank. Try to keep these things at least half full on a daily basis so you’re always ready for anything.
If you’re worried about how you’d fare in an extended power outage, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you prepare for this.