Storm’s a Coming & Now You're in the Dark

Storm’s a coming

     With all the storms and rough weather we have been having this winter, we might ask are we prepared for a power outage. I know we have had ours flicker a few times this year already and a few years ago we were without power for a few days after the hurricane so we try to be prepared now. We have had so much rain here that we have trees uprooting all over the place. That was what happened here during the hurricane. It just blew a huge oak tree into the house taking the power line with it. I know we don’t get a lot of snow here but occasionally we do, but mostly ice storms and then we have downed trees and power outages too. Up north though my family has a ton of snow from time to time. You would think they would have a power outage for sure somewhere.

What causes these outages? Weather is one cause and it could be from hurricanes, or lightning strikes. Downed lines or transformers exploding can be another. Sometimes it may be caused by overloaded power grids and even solar flares and it could be updates on the system itself. It is never coinciding with your plans whatever the case.

 What to do when the power goes out!!!

     So all of a sudden the house goes dark, no more TV or lights. Now what? Have you got your supplies ready? Have you got the emergency backup plan in place? I hope you have prepared well in advance because if it is a huge power outage it may cause stores to be without power in your area also and that means no computers to make purchases. If I know in advance we have a bad storm coming I always make sure we have water for us to drink and cook with. (I keep water to flush the toilets. I have always had a few huge jugs filled for toilets and stored.)

     Here is a list of other things you may want to have on hand.

• Non perishables, can goods and juices etc. snack foods and fruit
• First aid kits 
• Extra toilet paper (Something I always have on hand.)
• Batteries and extra flashlights- we have a few of the LED lanterns they are great and put out a lot of light. 
• Can opener (hand crank) 
• Matches  
• Extra fuel: gas, wood or propane 
• If at all possible have a backup generator
• Extra blankets in case you do not have heat, thankfully we heat with wood here.
• Extra clothing
• A grill or camp stove to cook on if the power is out for too long.
• Charcoal and lighter fluid
•  A cooler and ice from the freezer if possible, if you have snow fill it with snow.
• If you are like my hubby who needs his coffee have a pot to make it in from the cook stove.
• Card or board games to keep the kids happy or a good book.  These things will help you get by for a few hours or days.

     If you have a generator make sure you have it connected from the outside in because it does let off carbon monoxide. Try not to open the refrigerator too much if you don’t have a generator it will keep the food cold longer.

     Things you can do when the power does go out is report the outage. Most times if there is a big outage the electric company will tell you where it is and how long it will take before they get you back up and running. Keep your radio on to keep up with bad weather just in case it is the cause so you can be prepared for something worse. Social media will help to pinpoint outages too. Try to unplug things like TV Computers etc. that can be damaged when the power comes back on. Hot water tanks will not be working nor will gas stoves with electric ignite switches, so keep that in mind. Unless you have a way to charge your cell phone try not to use it too much. Refrigerator will be safe up to 4 hours and freezers if full will make it for a day or so.

     Once the power has come back on you can start to plug your electronics etc. in again but not all at the same time. Always remember to restock what items you have used from your kits so you can be ready the next time you might have an outage. 

     I know we are never expecting for the weather to take out the power but sometimes it does. You never know when there are accidents involving power poles or some crazy something else so please be prepared. I know I try to be as much as possible here because we are way out of town and I don’t want to be caught off guard.

     Quote of the day:

“We forget just how painfully dim the world was before electricity. A candle, a good candle, provides barely a hundredth of the illumination of a single 100 watt light bulb.” Bill Bryson

     Scripture of the day:

 Gen. 1:3 And God said: “Let there be light.” Then there was light. After that God saw that the light was good, and God began to divide the light from the darkness.