Perhaps one of the most difficult (and even annoying) situations that every household owner has to face is how to survive a power outage. Electricity is now a basic necessity for modern living, in line with water, clothing and housing. Loss of access to electric energy can bring a lot of adverse effects in our everyday lives.
Our appliances and gadgets will undoubtedly be rendered useless, so we going to need to rely on our own skills to do almost everything. It’s like traveling back on an ancient age where you have to do everything you can to survive.
All of us might have already experienced power outages at least once in our lives. And based on those experiences we all know that losing electricity can be blamed for a variety of reasons. From intense thunderstorms, powerful hurricanes and issues involving power lines, you name it. In fact, a study conducted by Climate Central suggested that 80% of all power outages happened between the years of 2003 and 2012 are all rooted by weather factors alone.
There are times that you can get informed of any power outages through radio or TV announcements. But sometimes they can happen at the least expected moments. But regardless of the reason, you must always be aware and know how to survive a power outage in order to survive.
4 Essentials For Surviving A Power Outage
During these times, preparedness will always be the key. Having an extensive emergency preparedness kit is one great solution to live out your days without the help of electrical energy. And no, you don’t need to make a complicated list of everything that you need to have because this article will give you 4 of the basic essentials that you must have in.
1. Food
You might be thinking that you don’t need to be well-prepared because you can buy food pretty much anywhere and at anytime. That is truly a misconception. You see, you are not the only one who needs electricity in the first place. Consider those nearby business establishments that do not have their own power generators. Expect that food supplies will be in low supply for a while, so make sure that you have a considerable supply of your own. Having enough food supply will help reduce all of your stress that comes with losing electrical power.
It could be a lot better if as early as now, your pantries are already filled with non-perishable food items that require less or no preparation at all. These foods must also never rely on refrigeration to keep their edibility.
Here are some examples of foods that you can ideally store on your pantry:
- Canned goods (tuna, salmon, soup)
- Dry snacks
- Drinks
- Pet food (here's some tips for maintaining their health)
An important reminder when keeping these foods is that you must periodically check each of the supply to ensure that they are up to date and not yet close to expiration.
If you have other additional foods to spare, you can store them using an emergency food kit. This tool is designed to last foods a bit loner as well as give you a balanced and nutritious diet.
2. Water
Another major staple, water is pretty much necessary to keep you well hydrated. As a rule of thumb, a family should have at least a gallon of water per person every day in case of an emergency. You may also need a good supply of water for doing other things such as cooking and hygiene.
It’s always highly recommended to keep a case of drinking water right on your basement and garage so you can use them on emergency situations. Although remember that water can be so essential that you can easily run out of it faster than you can expect.
If you finally noticed that you’re close to losing your drinkable water supply, you can use the water from your sink as long as boil it for some good minutes or douse it with a water purification tablet.
3. First Aid Kit
Most homes must have their own supply of first-aid kits but these are commonly used as the go-to for minor injuries. And usually never get replenished right away. It is also better to assemble your own first aid kit from scratch as this method helps you to determine your needs depending on your most common situation. Don't forget to have enough medical supplies that can handle any kind of emergencies.
The following is a checklist for a standard first-aid kit for homes:
- Bandages
- Antiseptic wipes
- Scissors
- Antibiotic and burn ointment
- Saline solution
- Thermometer
- Safety pins
- Pain medicine
- Cough medicine
- Other prescription medications
4. Light Sources
One of the reasons why power outages are very annoying is that you don't have a viable source of light to see everything around. Given the fact that you have your trusty first-aid kit, inflicting injuries in the dark can still be avoided if you’re well supplied with alternative sources of light. The first two things that come to most people’s minds could be flashlights and candles. As for choosing between the two, you should be aware of their pros and cons. Candles are quite cheap compared to flashlights, but they can be pretty dangerous especially for children.
On the other hand, flashlights are safer to use but will require you to save some money for batteries. If you choose to use flashlights, look for a battery-operated lantern or LED, or solar lantern. These tools can produce more light, last longer, and consume less power. You even don’t have to worry about having your house burnt down.
How To Survive A Power Outage Conclusion
Long term emergency power outages can be an unpleasant experience indeed. We all depend on electricity and losing it can easily disrupt our daily routine. However, you need to ensure that you and your family can get through these tough times by stocking up on these four basic essentials: food, water, first-aid kit, and light sources. So now you should be on your way to knowing how to survive a power outage. Here's a snippet of a really cool INFOGRAPHIC on this very subject below. Check out the full graphic right here.
