Dealing With A Power Outage

Occasionally in severe weather, the powerlines break, and suddenly you find yourself without power for hours or, in more harsh conditions, even days. Advanced preparation is essential considering the random occurrences of emergencies.

Here’s a list of things to have on hand if you know severe weather is blowing in. Following this are instructions on what to do once you’ve lost power.

Before

1. Light – You’ll want to make sure you have some source of light for your home. Lanterns and flashlights are good to have on hand. Check batteries and keep a few extra batteries nearby in case you end up being in it for the long haul. Also, you might consider buying some solar powered lights.
2. Water – Keep a few extra gallons of water in your home in case you can’t access water. You’ll want this for drinking, but also food prep and hygiene. You can convert your bathtub into a clean and fresh water storage container providing your family a supply of water for drinking, cooking, washing, and flushing.
3. Food – It’s good to keep non-perishable and canned foods on hand that are easy to open and prepare. If you’re going to be without power for a few days, then you’ll need access to nutritional food for you and your family.
4. Fuel – If you have a wood or gas fireplace make sure you have plenty of fuel stored away. Remember if you’re without power in the winter it can get uncomfortably cold. This could be your only way to keep your family warm. If you live in a small home without a fireplace, you might want to consider maintaining candles in the house. Just a few candles in a room can produce some heat. It will also be a great source of light.
5. Blankets – Have plenty of blankets or sleeping bags tucked away to help keep everyone warm. Remember the comforters on your bed are great blankets for staying warm, they aren’t just for show.
6. Communication – Store a fully charged external power source (portable charger) for your phone to help extend your battery life for communicating with people. Also, consider having a rechargeable battery and solar powered mobile radio so you can receive news and weather updates.

If you’re in the situation where you’re power is already out, and you’re sitting in the dark trying to figure out what to do, here’s the list you need.

During

1. Light – If you’re sitting in the dark, let’s start by getting you some light. It may be tempting to use your phone light, but you might need your phone to communicate with people. So, try and conserve the battery as best you can. Get your hands on a flashlight or lantern to help you get around the house.
2. Power – Before freaking out, check your breaker box to see if the power outage is something you can fix by flipping a few switches. If that doesn’t solve your problem and your home is the only one without power, give a call to your power company or an electrician service like Modern PHE to come to check it out. In the event of a storm-related outage, the power company should be able to tell you how long your power will be out. If it’s a massive power outage, you should be able to find out about the blackout online.
3. Food – Leave your refrigerator/ freezer closed. You’re trying to keep your house warm and your food cold. Opening up the fridge will let out the cool air faster and will allow it to spoil. If the power outage will be days and it’s cold enough outside you can move your food outdoors to stay cool.
4. Dress Warm – You probably won’t be able to keep your house at a lovely 70 degrees so layer up a little. Put on a hat and an extra sweater to try and conserve your heat. If you have kids, make sure they dress warmly as well. Putting pants and a coat over their onesie pajamas should keep them nice and snug.
5. Saving Heat – If you have a fireplace or will be using candles to help keep the house warm now is the time to light them up. You want to try and keep the temperature in the room from dropping too far. Don’t wait until you’re almost frozen.
6. NO HEAT – if your house has terrible insulation, consider going to a friend’s house if their power is still working. If the power outage is massive enough, then there should be a few public buildings, like schools, with a backup generator and provisions to help people in your situation.

Take steps to prepare your family for the inevitable power outage today!

About the author

Mignonne Slaugh is a senior at BYU-Idaho studying communications. She has a passion for people and loves writing their stories. When she isn’t writing she is usually outside spending time with her one-year-old son and husband.