How To Prepare For Power Outage: Tips To Survive a Blackout

With the increasing rate of natural calamities, power cuts are also on a rise. Sometimes power outages are also planned to reduce the heavy load on the power grid. But, it mainly happens due to natural reasons which cannot be controlled. And we don’t know how long does a power outage last. So, making a good preparation for power outages is very essential to keep our life going on as normal. In this post, we will see how to prepare for a power outage and survive a blackout with a pre-planned strategy.

How To Prepare For Power Outage?

Power cuts can impact a lot to our daily life from smart devices out of power to work stop. So how do we need to prepare and respond? Read the content below for more details.

What To Do Before The Outage?

If you know that the power is about to fail, you should prepare yourself so that you face the least inconvenience. Take note of the following preparations before the outage.

• Collect food items that come in a canned manner.

• Gather the first aid kit and make sure it has all the basic medicines and medical supplies.

• Keep enough liquid cash with yourself.

• Keep a good quality power bank with you to charge your smartphone. If possible invest some money in buying a portable power station such as the reliable Anker 757 PowerHouse. This tip is crucial and must not be skipped.

• Sign up for alerts from disaster management authorities.

• Get a battery-powered radio and keep checking the emergency news.

• Gather several flashlights and keep them separately in every corner of your house.

• If you have a battery-powered car or a bike, charge it fully.

• If you use any medical devices, then don’t forget to purchase spare batteries for them.

• If you have pets, then buy enough dry food for them. Talk to your veterinarian if they are on medication. You may need to purchase those medicines for your pet to avoid any medical emergency.

• If possible, write the cell phone numbers of your family members on paper and keep them with you until the power resumes.

• Keep some books, comics, or board games such as chess or monopoly to kill boredom.

What To Do During a Power Outage?

During a power cut, you may feel like you are in the middle of nowhere because of the darkness. Follow the below-mentioned guidelines to pass this period.

• Keep the refrigerator closed and open it only to take out food.

• Don’t use your laptop or smartphone unnecessarily. Use them only to check emergency info, alerts, or for making a call.

• Use a torch or LED lantern to dispel the darkness.

• Avoid lighting a fire inside your house.

• If you are looking for information on how to use a generator during a power outage, we suggest not using it inside your home as there is a risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. Use it only in a well-ventilated area far away from your windows.

• If you are using your car’s air conditioning then don’t sleep inside the car with all windows closed. 

• Do not leave your pets alone.

• Switch off all the expensive home appliances to prevent voltage-related damage.

• If you have rooftop solar panels installed, then check the official manufacturer’s guide on how to use solar panels during a power outage.

What To Check After The Outage?

If lucky, the power resumes back after a short period. But usually, we don’t know how long does it take to fix a power outage. No matter if it's a short or long power outage, you need to check for the following immediately when the outage is over.

• View official alerts from the power company to see if they have any notice about temporarily or permanently restored power. Don't sabotage your preparations against a blackout if it's only for a short interval.

• If the power gets restored permanently then first check your home appliances. Switch them on and see whether they are working properly.

• If you have medical equipment that needs recharging, plug it in as soon as possible.

• Switch on the water purifier.

• If you used anything from the first aid kit, replace it with a new one.

• Discard the food from the refrigerator if it remained without power for more than 4 hours.

• Get a nutritious diet for your pet and yourself if you have gone through a long power outage.

• If you are feeling sleepless then get a peaceful sleep.

Conclusion

Unplanned power cuts are a real problem because in such a situation no one can predict when the power supply will be restored. The only way to tackle the aftereffects of a blackout is to be well-prepared in advance. You can deal with a severe energy crisis by following our tips on how to prepare for a power outage in this article.

FAQs On How To Prepare For Power Outage

What Should I Stockpile For a Power Outage?

Stockpile water (drinking water separately), canned foods, flashlights, batteries, a radio, warm clothing if it is winter, pet supplies such as dry food, basic medical supplies, and a phone charger if you are sure of a power outage. You can also use a portable power station such as the Anker Powerhouse 757 for an extended power backup.

What Is the First Thing You Do When The Power Goes Out?

Do not panic! If the power goes out, stay calm and gather essentials such as a torch or power station if it is a regular power cut. But if the power cut is due to natural causes, then we suggest following some specific procedures like what we talked about above in this article to make everything go on normally.

How Long Will Food Keep in Refrigerator Without Power?

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), food can be kept in the refrigerator for a maximum of 4 hours. If food is kept in a full freezer, it can remain fresh for 2 days and if kept in a convertible freezer, food remains good for 24 hours. If this time limit is reached, discard the food.