Jodie Weston
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With winter comes the wind, the snow, the ice and the extreme cold. And, more likely than not, winter will also bring the occasional power outage.
Have you asked yourself what you would do if the power went out for a day or two or for even a week? What would you do? Could you fend for yourself? Could you keep yourself warm in the winter and cool in the summer? What about food? Would your refrigerated and frozen items spoil? And yikes! What would you do about money if credit cards and ATMs no longer worked? Did I mention that in all likelihood you would not have internet access either?
Today I would like to provide 15 tips for getting through short-term power outages. These are the power outages that occur during winter storms or when a vehicle hits a power pole. (Longer term, apocalypse type outages are a subject for another time.) Now if you have a good memory, you will recall we discussed this subject back in July. That was summer. And now, with the cold months ahead of us, it would not hurt to have a refresher course.
We count on electricity for heat, food, medical, communication and financial needs. Our appliances and work-saving devices rely upon a source of electricity for operation and even many gas-powered appliances such as furnaces and hot water heaters need electricity to run. The worst thing about it is that when the power goes out, it is likely to be the result of some other emergency such as a hurricane, tornado, or winter storm. This means that the folks that are supposed to fix the problem may be spread wide and spread thin and it may be days before the lights are back on.
A power outage is not something that just might happen. I can pretty much guarantee that it will happen. The more you can do to prepare, the greater the likelihood that you will be comfortable and that will only suffer an inconvenience when the lights go out.
15 Tips to Start Prepping
1. Have flashlights ready in multiple, easily accessible locations around your home. Be sure to also have plenty of fresh, spare batteries. You need one really great flashlight but it is also nice to have a bunch of small, handheld LED handheld flashlights.
2. Have emergency candles plus matches available as well a candle lantern, oil lamp, or propane lantern. Be sure to include some longer, fireplace type matches or a butane wand for lighting fires in your fireplace or outdoors in a fire pit,
3. Have either a battery-operated radio, solar radio or hand crank radio so that you can stay in touch with the world. Make sure your radio is in working condition by testing it at least once a year.
4. Learn how to cook over an open fire, using charcoal or wood or even biomass.
5 Make sure you have a manual can opener for opening cans of food. If you are a coffee drinker, also have a French press available as well as pre-ground coffee,
6. Fill the empty space in your freezer with containers of water. Frozen water will displace air and keep food cold longer if the power goes out. Remember to leave space in containers for ice to expand. Empty milk cartons can be repurposed in this manner.
7. If you use a landline, have at least one phone with a handset cord in your home. Many cordless phones will not work in a power outage. Cell phone users should keep their cell phones charged and at the very least, pick up a cell phone car charger so you can charge the cell in your car if it runs down.
8. If you have an automatic garage door opener, learn how to use the manual release to open your garage door manually. Keep the instructions handy – perhaps taped to the inside of a closet door – so you don’t have to search for them when the time comes.
9. Keep your automobile’s fuel tank at least half full. Many gas stations will not be in operation during a power outage. And please – fill up your tank if a major storm is predicted.
10. Once the power goes out, unplug sensitive electrical equipment such as computers, printers, televisions, and audio equipment. When the power comes back on, there may be power spikes that can damage delicate electronics. I know, it has happened to me. Keeping these items plugged in to surge protector helps but it is still best to unplug these items from the wall completely.
11. Do not open refrigerators or freezers any more than necessary. An unopened refrigerator will keep food cold for approximately 4 hours, an unopened freezer will keep food frozen for approximately 24 hours and even longer if it is located in a cold garage. You will need to throw away any food items that become warmer than 41 degrees. No testing, no tasting. To the garbage it goes. Sorry, that is just the way it is.
12. Keep a supply of books, board games, playing cards and other items available to keep you entertained and amused during a power outage. A bit of chocolate and a bottle or two of wine or whiskey would also help in the amusement area.
13. Be wary of the possibility of carbon monoxide poisoning, which is caused from exposure to odorless fumes created by charcoal grills, camping stoves or generators that are operated inside a home or garage. Never, ever burn charcoal or use gasoline or propane-powered equipment inside your home. Don’t even do it in your garage or on your porch. Use such equipment only when you’re completely outdoors.
14. Notify your power company in advance if you use special healthcare equipment like oxygen generators or dialysis equipment that require power. Most power companies have the ability to note this in their records and will prioritize the response to your home.
15. If your budget allows, acquire a portable generator. Learn to safely use your generator and test it monthly. And don’t forget to store enough fuel to run the generator for up to a week. Alternately, you can look into solar generator options which are becoming increasingly reliable. Remember, your portable generator does not have to run full time. Your refrigerator will be just fine without power over night when it is not being opened and closed repeatedly.
Other Recommended Preps for Power Outages
We have covered basic power needs but what are some of the other essentials that you will want to have on hand during a power outage?
The following items will help you to sail through a power outage:
- Solar battery charger Very handy for charging batteries to power flashlights and other battery powered devices.
- Stock supplies for bundling up. Blankets are good, but a nice toasty sleeping bag or down comforter is better. A heavy jacket and socks are good, too. Plan to add layers for staying warm in a grid down scenario. Long johns, covered by clothing and topped with a jacket will serve you well. Don’t forget hats, scarves, and fingerless gloves, so that you can stay warm and still function.
- Store foods that require very little in terms of warming or cooking. These foods should be items that your family normally eats. Suggestions? Canned meats, peanut butter, crackers, canned fruits and veggies granola bars, and cold cereals. If you are a coffee drinker, include some instant coffee as well.
- Chemical light sticks. They are more versatile than you might expect. (Here are 10 reasons you need them in your emergency kit.)
- Amusements. Books, games, and playing cards. My favorite? A couple of decks of Canasta cards.
- The Spirit of Adventure. Okay, I had to throw that in. Let’s face it, a positive attitude plus your emergency preps will help you soldier through an extended power outage.
How to Survive a Long-Term Power Outage Grid Failure
Okay, so the short-term power outage is now a long-term – grid down – failure. What now?
Day One: Cities are Hit the Hardest
- Thousands are trapped in elevators
- All electrical appliances are shut down and inoperative, including refrigerators, freezers, heating units, air conditioners
- Water faucets run dry
- Because there is no water, toilets no longer flush
- ATM machines are inoperative
- Banks and other businesses are shuttered
- Emergency generators provide pockets of power and light but, for the most part, there is profound darkness everywhere
- Battery-powered radios and cell phones still operate but there is no word as to the cause or scale of the power outage
- Gas stations without generators cannot pump fuel
Day Two: Confusion Reigns
- Drugstores and supermarkets have been stripped clean of all goods
- Law enforcement personnel are overwhelmed by medical emergencies and scattered outbreaks of looting
- Batteries on laptops and cell phones are dying
- Radio updates offer conflicting descriptions of the outage and there is no credible news relative to the expected duration
- Officials disagree as to whether residents should find shelter or evacuate (but to where?)
- Bridges and tunnels are backed up for hours
Day Three: No Gas, No Water, and No Food
- All gas stations have run out of fuel
- Water is at a premium
- FEMA has provided emergency generators to pump water and keep sewage systems operational, but supplies are limited
- Millions of “Meals Ready to Eat” have been distributed.
- Backup food and water supplies do not exist
End of Week One: You are On Your Own
- Emergency rations have been depleted
- Hundreds of the elderly and infirm have died
- Hundreds of thousands of refugees have migrated to areas where there still is power
- Unequipped to house or feed them, some states have instituted plans to keep the refugees out
- Only the military can maintain a semblance of order and there are not enough troops to go around
- Millions of people are, essentially, on their own
Week Two and Beyond: Board Up the Windows and Protect Yourself from Looters and Thugs
- With no end in sight, hiding and defending your goods is a full time job and a number one priority
- Law enforcement personnel are abandoning their post in order to secure their own families
- Like-minded neighbors band together to do inventory of resources and exchange goods via barter
- Neighbors canvass each other for skills that can be put to good use for the collective good
- Stockpiled food is rationed to the minimum amount needed to maintain necessary caloric levels
- Hunting, fishing and foraging for food begins and stored goods begin to dwindle
- FEMA is nowhere to be found
Electronic Armageddon?
A while back NatGeo put out a documentary that deals with both a natural and a nuclear EMP.
THE FINAL WORD
A word about generators: Using a properly connected whole house generator of adequate size during a power outage will reduce or almost eliminate the impact a power outage has on your life. Before you buy such a generator, talk to an electrician about the size and type you need as well as the installation costs.
Think about what you want your generator to run. For the basics, a generator can be used to keep food cool, provide lights and electricity for stovetops, computers, telephon, s and television, and to power furnace blowers and pumps. Less important is power for washing machines, dishwashers, and ovens.
The best way to use a generator is to connect it to your home using a transfer switch installed by a licensed electrician. This will keep the power from overloading the wiring in your home. It will also keep the power from your generator from traveling back into the power lines, which could seriously injure or kill people working on power lines. Alternately, you can connect equipment directly to the outlets on the generator. If that is your method of choice, be sure that any extension cords are of the proper length and gauge to handle the power requirements of the connected equipment.
Just remember, Mark Twain said, “Climate is what we expect; weather is what we get.” A power outage is inevitable. There is really no excuse not be prepared.
Bargain Bin: Here are some useful items to have on hand when the power is out.
Ambient Weather Emergency Solar Hand Crank Radio: This is becoming a popular choice with Backdoor Survival readers. This unit is a Digital AM/FM NOAA Weather Alert Radio and a powerful 3 LED flashlight, with smart charger, all in one portable package.
Coleman Candle Lantern: When the lights go out, there is nothing like a Coleman. They last forever because spare parts are always available. A candle lantern will not give out the bright light of say, a propane or kerosene lantern. On the other hand, candles are likely to be available when other fuels are not.
Coleman Rugged Battery Powered Lantern: This sturdy Coleman has a runtime of up to 28 hours on the low setting and 18 hours on the high setting but does require D cell batteries. Personally, I have both a battery operated and propane lantern. Of course, by now you know that I like redundancy with my preps.
Dorcy LED Wireless Motion Sensor Flood Lite: I have two of these (so far) and feel that these lights are worth double the price.
AA and AAA Solar Battery Charger: Another popular item. This unit will charge up to 2 pairs of AA or 1 pair of AAA batteries via USB or solar power.
Chemical Lighting aka Light Sticks: These are inexpensive, portable and easy to use. These come in a number of colors so take your pick.
EcoZoom Versa Rocket Stove: Burning twigs and pinecones, this stove will cook a big pot of rice in under 20 minutes. The stove is solidly built and will burn charcoal as well. There is also a version that only burns biomass for slightly less money’.
Bicycle Canasta Games Playing Cards: Heck, you need something to keep yourself entertained!
100 Hour Plus Emergency Candle Clear Mist: My number one choice for emergency candles. This liquid paraffin candle will burn for over 100 hours. t is also odorless and smokeless, making it a great emergency light source that can be extinguished and re-lit as often as needed. Very safe to use.
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205 Responses to “How to Prepare for and Stay Comfortable During a Power Outage [Short term and Long Term]”
Hi Gaye,
All good information. Does anyone have any thoughts for extended power outages in desert areas? I could use suggestions on how to keep cool when the air conditioning is out with the power. Thanks.
Hello Marti:
I am an old (70yrs) desert rat from Mesa, Arizona. Back in the day when I was a kid, the ice man delivered a block of ice to our house using large tongs and a leather shoulder pad to carry it from his wagon to our “Ice Box”. My dad made the “Ice Box” out of 1-1/2″ thick pine, carved it with round corners and painted white to look like a refrigerator, since we couldn’t afford one at the time… I don’t think electric ones existed in 1947… But the Ice Man came every week. The block of ice was put in the top of the Ice Box in a tray with a drain through a tube to the bottom, where a dish pan was used to catch the melted water… The pan had to be dumped on a regular basis or the water ran over. The Ice block lasted at least a week… Suggestion: Several one gallon (or quart) sized Plastic milk cartons, with a one inch air space could be frozen and left in your freezer to have the same effect by placing them one at a time in the refrigerator space and would last at least a week. If you have a freezer in the cold garage, with (lets say 10 gallons of ice). that could last 2 weeks, with care.
40 degrees is the limit, and a battery operated thermometer can be used with a remote sensor inserted in the refrigerator to monitor the temperature.. Made in china for about $5 bucks.
Note: while you may be stuck in the cold for an extended time, be sure to have your photo album available to review as a detraction. And get out your old photos and make a scrap book, while you wait out the storm (emergency). Nothing like good memories to make the time go by.
In the desert, before A/C, we had swamp coolers… before that were wet burlap bags or feed bags that may still be available at your farm stores (hay, tack, etc). Or get burlap from a cloth store, or army surplus… wet it down and hang over open windows… the evaporation from the air will cool the inside of the home – – just like it did before electricity… Also, a canvas water bag evaporates and cools the water… We use to hang it in front of the old cars on the crank, so the air would pass over it, and it had a distinctive taste that I still miss from the old days… Ohhh to have a canvas water bag.
Google some of the old fashioned items, and see how the older generation coped with heat in the desert… You will be very satisfied… Hope this helps everyone from the desert… Apache Bob
These can be purchased from Canvas Specialty of Los Angeles: //can-spec.com/canspec/products/products.php?ID=14
I’m not sure how a radiant heater works, but if you have a Big Buddy Catalytic heater which uses propane, it burns the dangerous fumes produced by fire or gas. I used one for a week last year in my home with no undue affects. Make sure whatever type of heater you purchase for a confined space, like your home it is a Catalytic heater.
The Big Buddy is the largest of the Buddy line and kept the heat constant in my home even though it was cooler in the more distant rooms. If you buy the 12′ hose and adapter you can hook it to you propane tank on you barbeque grill. Running full time it will last about 2.5 – 3 days. Fortunately we had purchased several tanks and they lasted the week.
When you purchase the adapter, take it home and make sure it will screw on and work. They changed over the threads on propane tanks a few years ago, and if you get the wrong adapter you definitely don’t want to find out in an emergency.
If you get any type of heater, practice hooking it up and turning it on to insure you know how to make it work when an emergency occurs. I started off using the little bottles of propane, which the Big Buddy will hold two, but they don’t last very long. There is an adjustment control on the Big Buddy that will let you control the heat. The lower it is turned on the longer it will last.
Also, stock up on a supply of Strike Anywhere stick matches. If you buy the regular kind you find in most stores, they only work as long as the box stiker is in good condition. Also practice stiking a match, which sounds so simple, but you do not want to ruin a good match or think it will last longer than it does. You can find Strike Anywhere matches in most Farm Supply stores or non-chain hardware stores, and some Sporting Good Stores. It seems like most cities have banned Strike Anywhere matches for the kind you can only strike on a box.
Also if you are new to having a fireplace, practice starting a fire without using newspaper and only kindling or small pieces of wood. A really easy way is to use cottonballs rubbed in vasoline or even cooking oil. Practice using them also, because they will burst into flame and might surprise you with how fast they burn and how hot they get. Buy a package of cottonballs, and after rubbing them with vasoline or cooking oil, store them in a plastic bottle, ie., pill bottles.
I see this suggestion a lot. If you are sheltering in place there is no need to pre-oil your cotton balls….Just own the cotton balls and Vaseline and prepare them as your need them, if you need them. In the mean time you can use the cotton balls for bunny tails on children’s costumes and the vaseline to soften the heels of your feet. Just be sure to replace what you use for normal use on a regular basis.
Otherwise you are storing THREE things instead of two. And who has space for that?
Gaye:
Great tips for short term power outages. I would like to mention that in case of longer term outages which may last for several weeks or more, that you should ensure – for security reasons – that your home does not look “lived in”, especially at night. There should be no lights on in the house, nor any cooking odors emitting to the outside, nor any sounds of radios or loud talking. Reason being, there WILL be hungry people looking for food, looting, etc. Some will have no scruples about taking your stuff from you by force. Play it safe and make your home as inconspicuous as possible. Do not flaunt your cosiness….
I might also add a radiant propane space heater and a few extra large bottles of propane.
I did not know it but I got it all and have had the list for years. It is good to know. THANKS
I have a 5KW diesel generator. To use it effectively, you have to have a transfer switch that cuts your place off from the grid, and sends the generator power to the main circuit breaker panel, and from there the power goes to your outlet. If you just have a generator, you can plug an extension cord into it and run that inside to a surge suppressor with multiple outlets, that will work but it’s awkward. You can also use an inverter if you have one for a solar panel set. I do have an inverter but don’t use it anymore since solar power proved ineffectual and too costly, the deep cycle battery banks were murder to maintain and the batteries had to be replaced every three years at great cost. I do keep kerosene lamps, candles, and flashlights for short term outages. I have a gas range in our oven that isn’t dependent on power at all so my wife can still cook. We have a wood burning kitchen stove to back that up. In the last few weeks we have had multiple power outages and they are a real pain. Too short to really do much about using the generator, but long enough to aggravate.
Nice article, SurvivalWoman!
We have a pot-belly stove on which to cook and heat our home in the winter months should the power go out. We also have a little coleman cook stove as well as a little MSR Pocket Rocket backpacking stove. It’s good to have multiple options just in case one fails for some reason.
Joe
I am also a big believer of redundancy. I think that is a carry-over from my boating days when you could be stuck in the middle of nowhere with gear that has malfunctioned. Talk about up a creek without a paddle.
S.W.
Gaye: Great article especially for newby preppers looking for ideas on how to get ready for the coming chaos. I also have one of the Mr Heater propane powered heaters and love it! Aso, having gone through several bouts of power outages and also an ISP that for awhile last year could not be relied upon, I found a way to get on the Internet without the ISP….I bought a USB modem from ATT (Verizon also has them) that uses the cell phone towers to connect your computer to the web. Works great!! If you have solar panels, even when the lights go out you can still get on, of course provided the cell towers are still standing, but basically if you have cell phone access you can get on the web. If you have a Kindle from Amazon, you can do the same thing, but if you buy a Kindle get the one with web access capability. After all is said and done and all your preparations have been made to survive (whatever the calamity) EVERYONE should “test” their preparedness. How to do this? At the main electrical, water and gas switch or valve, turn them all OFF, then see just how prepared you really are to survive without basic utilities. The first time I did this I lasted a day and a half as I had not counted upon toilet facilities and did not have an adequate supply of water to flush with. There will be numerous things you will find you are not prepared for, depending upon the season. I think summer is the worst because your home can become like an oven depending upon your location. For winter weather you can be prepared for that with a good propane heater. Try turning off all your utilities for a true test to see just how ready you really are…..we are quickly running out of time for preparing.
Mark,
About how much did the USB modem run you?
The USB modem cost $65 about a year ago. I don’t know what it might cost now. You have to buy a monthly data plan. I bought the 350MB for $25 a month. It is worth it for me as I can connect to the web from anywhere. I stopped last week at a rest stop on I44 near Joplin and was on the Internet in seconds.
Thanks, Mark.
I use oil lamps around the house and they really put off a lot of light. I tried candles and battery powered lanterns but they just don’t last for very long. Oil lamps have been around since the dawn of time and have worked and been widely used all over the world. Their oil is fairly cheap and burns clean and stores well. They also burn a very long time on very little fuel. I have like 5 of them around the house.
By oil do you mean kerosene?
No, Lamp oil. You can buy it at any grocery store. It is for the old fashion hurricane lamps. It is the only thing I use. I have candles in the kitchen drawer but those are only used for unprepared neighbors.
Couldn’t agree more. The oil lamps burn brighter, longer. They are worth the modest investment.
Gaye, a very, very useful item I have for emergency heating is a MR HEATER brand propane gas heater. They come in various sizes and I recommend buying the optional filter and 12-foot high pressure hose in order to use the 20-gallon propane cylinder (the kind used on gas BBQ grills). The 12-foot hose allows one to locate the cylinder OUTSIDE on the patio. NEVER bring a propane cylinder inside, except for the 1-lb version. I rate the heater a 5 out of 5 as it provides excellent heat, especially if you get the one with the built-in battery operated fan. I have had occasion to use it several times as we are prone to ice storms here in the Missouri Ozarks. You can order from Amazon for the best price and 2-day delivery.
You want to make sure that you use adequate ventilation with a propane heater if it is used inside. They put off a fair amount of carbon monoxide so be careful and ventilate.