A power outage is never a welcomed experience, especially when it occurs during a winter storm. When power fails during cold temperatures, the effects are that much more devastating. No power means no furnace. No furnace means no heat. No heat can mean the difference between life and death.
As society has embraced modern luxuries, our dependence on electrical power for comfort, food storage, and daily essentials overshadows how vulnerable we truly are. Preparation is the key to safety. What do you do when a winter storm forces you into an emergency situation?
These most important items to consider when preparing for an emergency include securing and ensuring proper quantities of food, water, sanitary and hygiene supplies, and heat sources. When preparing for an emergency situation, assume that the problem could last for days, at a minimum.
Here is a checklist of that can be used as considerations.
- A flashlight and batteries should be accessible. You’ll need to be organizing and preparing things during an emergency. If you need light, a flashlight is a must to help you do the rest of your emergency assessing. Candles and matches are a good alternative, too.
- Firewood is a great idea for a backup heat source. Fire can also double as a way to cook food.
- During power failure and extreme cold, allow faucets to drip or slowly flow water. The flow will prevent pipes from freezing, ensuring that you have an available source of water.
- Should water supplies be cut off, frozen, or unavailable, bottled water should be plentiful. You can go weeks without food, but you can only go days without water.
- Consider having medical, sanitary, and hygiene kits on hand to address any injuries or medical related issues.
- Understand how to manually open electric garages. Should you need to evacuate through an alternative door like a garage, it’s good to understand how to do so.
Last, nothing will make you feel more prepared and secure for long days of winter than owning a reliable and trusted diesel generator. While there is a seemingly unlimited list that could go into emergency preparedness, having a diesel generator ready to fire up can save you the hassle of worrying about a source of power for heat and food preparation.
