When the electricity fails, you will have bigger problems than how to pass the time. The refrigerator stops working and the food begins to defrost. If you live in a very hot area, the air conditioning and fans won't work. You'll need to take out your flashlight and portable fan and sit quietly, waiting for the light to return. Most blackout incidents, usually due to a line opening, are resolved in a day or two. In the case of floods or tornadoes, blackouts can last for weeks.
Steps
Step 1. Consider the type of emergencies your home may face
An area prone to snow storms will be different from an area where frequent floods occur. In urban areas you will face different problems than in rural areas.
Step 2. Cook the foods that will rot first
If the temperature rises, empty the refrigerator of anything that can go bad and try to cook or eat it before it gets too hot. Eat perishable foods before they go bad.
Step 3. Buy long-life foods that don't require refrigeration
Foods that don't even require cooking are even better.
- Canned foods fall into this category and can be stored for months. Crackers, biscuits and snacks for children are a necessity. Eat these foods after the perishable ones have been eaten or spoiled.
- To make perishable foods last longer, avoid opening the fridge unless absolutely necessary. The air in the fridge will remain cold for a limited time, even if turned off. The more you expose the inside of the refrigerator to room temperature, the faster it will heat up and consequently the faster the food will spoil. You could minimize the reheating of the food by grouping them all very close together.
Step 4. Get a backup method of reheating food and water
A camping stove is ideal (and make sure you know how to use it - read the warnings). A barbecue can also be useful, but don't bring it indoors - you risk carbon monoxide poisoning. A gas stove might work if you have matches to light it. Remember to have enough fuel for several days, in case the experience is not short-lived.
- Water is more important than food, and if your water supply is controlled by pumps, you may not have any available during a blackout. Store several liters of drinking water. Fill the tub or buckets with water to flush the toilet, wash, and so on.
- Read our guide on how to get clean water from a water heater during an emergency.
Step 5. Think of a back-up method for heating or cooling your home during a blackout, depending on the needs of your climate zone
Do you need to stock up on wood for your wood stove? You may want to consider buying portable fans to keep yourself cool. If your heating runs on natural gas, install a gas fireplace that has a thermoelectric electronic ignition. Should you get a gas generator?
Step 6. Install safety lights in your home so that you won't be left in the dark in the event of a power failure
However, keep in mind that many commercial safety lights are not very nice and last for about 90 minutes.
- Try to buy security lights that have a light sensor. Otherwise the batteries will be used up before night comes.
- The latest safety lights are able to illuminate for longer periods thanks to improvements in LED technology and battery life.
- Look for safety lights on the net that you can install in any room without clashing with the decor. Start with the kitchen and the bathroom - the two most used rooms in the house.
Step 7. During a blackout, you can leave the house if it is safe
Go to the mall or the cinema. Purchase meals at a nearby restaurant.
If your home isn't covered in snow, or in need of maintenance, there's no reason to stay indoors and uncomfortable. You will have time for that when it is late and you have to go home
Step 8. Purchase a portable power generator or, if you can afford it, a generator
Depending on the power, you can connect some of the most important devices, such as lights, fans, laptop, cell phone charger and radio. Don't expect to be able to power the whole house. Some are able to power the refrigerator.
Step 9. Remember that you will not be able to use the television, lights and you will not be able to play games that involve reading
Use the flashlight only for travel. You can invent games, sing songs, or practice the ancient art of conversation. Try to be playful.
Read a book during daylight hours to pass the time. During the night, the best choice will be to go to sleep. Time will pass much faster if you sleep, especially if you have nothing better to do than wait for the power to come back
Step 10. Get a battery-powered camping lantern
It will light up a room better than a flashlight. Remember to also get a hand can opener to open canned foods.
Step 11. Get a battery-operated radio to check local news and emergency developments
It is also a good idea to get a battery charger for mobile phones powered by batteries, because the mobile phones will drain quickly, especially if you make phone calls to receive information about the situation.
Advice
- If your computer is connected to a UPS (Uninterruptible Power) or has a battery, save your work and shut it down before using up the remaining charge.
- When the power fails and you find yourself in complete darkness, don't rush to get your flashlight right away. Wait a minute or two to get your eyes used to the darkness before moving. You will be amazed at how much better you will see, and you will avoid many annoying injuries, such as hitting a table.
- Put some fluorescent stickers on the flashlights. Keep the flashlights in places where the stickers can "load" when there is light: on a shelf in the library, near the TV, on the nightstand, and so on. When the power fails, it will be much easier to find torches.
- Remember that cordless phones will not work during a blackout. Make sure you have at least one handset phone. Cell phones will usually work, but remember that they have a limited charge.
- As soon as you notice the power failure, call the power company to let them know. You may be the first to notice this, especially during the day or at work. The sooner the company is aware of the fault, the sooner it can send a team to fix the problem.
- Do not continue to storm the electricity company with calls asking for information on the duration of the blackout. One phone call is enough. The company has personnel trained in this type of emergency at its disposal, and is using all its resources to solve the problem. Remember that a blackout for an electricity company means less expensive bills. Annoying them won't make the power come back any faster, and you could clog the lines in the event of a real emergency.
- Have board games like chess, checkers, or puzzles in the house. They will keep you and the kids busy until television is available. Try to think about the way people enjoyed themselves before the discovery of electricity.
- If you live in an area where these problems are commonplace, it may be a good idea to install solar panels or a mini wind generator and a generator that burns an environmentally friendly fuel, such as rapeseed oil, pellets or bio-diesel, batteries. long-lasting rechargeable.
Warnings
- This guide refers to blackouts due to minor faults lasting a few days. These tips do not refer to emergencies such as floods, storms or earthquakes that cause blackouts and destroy power lines. You will need much more thorough preparation for situations of that type. Your best bet might be to evacuate the area.
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Candles, if used improperly, can cause a fire. More than 140 people die each year in the United States from household fires due to the use of candles - about a third of those because they have used candles for lighting. Candles are not recommended as a light source during blackouts.
Flashlights are safer.
- Diesel generators can kill when used in unventilated spaces, or that allow gases to escape into the home. Carbon monoxide is odorless and if you have any detectors, they probably won't work due to the blackout. Never use a generator in your home, garage, or other enclosed area!
- Pay close attention to the danger of electrocution when operating a generator.
