2012: Preparing for a Blackout in the case of a natural disaster–unprepared for the power outage a few weeks ago
With the End of the World 2012 Mayan prophecy on my mind, I must admit that, although we have a make-shift emergency kit, as suggested in the following list posted by www.ready.gov/blackout, we haven’t yet made a family communication plan, which includes deciding on a meet up place if and when the electricity is out and you can’t recharge your cell phone.
I guess, it’s a good idea to have a car charger for your cell phone, that is, assuming there will still be gas available.
Apart from any 2012 end of the world Maya prophecy, the thought of a major blackout is pretty darn scary.
In our mid-Atlantic blackout a few weeks ago, a number of gas stations did have power. However, I was disappointed when I drove past the long lines at the gas stations with power to my favorite one–the one whose computer is familiar with my credit card–because it was without electricity. There were hand-printed signs stuck on the gas tanks with tape saying, “No Power.”
I wish I had filled the gas tank the day before, but the storm and subsequent power outage was a big surprise. The weather prediction had only been for 10 m.p.h. winds but we received gusts up to 80 m.p.h. It was the largest storm, other than a hurricane, in our area.
I ended up driving to another town where I knew the whole city had power. I knew because a family member lives there and I had contacted them by cell phone.
What if the whole area had been without power? Fortunately, I had a place to go to where there was air conditioning. Many people I knew, however, had to suffer through the 100+ F temperatures.
BEFORE A BLACKOUT
To prepare for a blackout you should do the following:
- To begin preparing, you should build an emergency kit and make a family communications plan.
- Follow energy conservation measures to keep the use of electricity as low as possible, which can help power companies avoid imposing rolling blackouts.
- Fill plastic containers with water and place them in the refrigerator and freezer if there’s room. Leave about an inch of space inside each one, because water expands as it freezes. This chilled or frozen water will help keep food cold during a temporary power outage, by displacing air that can warm up quickly with water or ice that keeps cold for several hours without additional refrigeration.
- Be aware that most medication that requires refrigeration can be kept in a closed refrigerator for several hours without a problem. If unsure, check with your physician or pharmacist.
- Keep your car tank at least half full because gas stations rely on electricity to power their pumps.
- Know where the manual release lever of your electric garage door opener is located and how to operate it. Garage doors can be heavy, so know that you may need help to lift it.
- Keep a key to your house with you if you regularly use the garage as the primary means of entering your home, in case the garage door will not open.
