Do you have a blackout plan in place? I hope you so, because you may need it…
According to the Wall Street Journal, the grid is in such a state of disrepair that blackouts this winter are a virtual guarantee. If you haven’t made the proper preparations, you may be in for some very dark, very cold days… especially if you live in the tri-state area, hit by super storm Sandy last winter.
According to energy experts, no meaningful improvements have been made to the grid since the storm, since the great “East Coast Blackout” of 10 years ago. And you that if the WSJ is saying this, you know this situation must be really bad…
No matter what part of the country you live in, it’s important to have a blackout plan in place. Obviously, items like flashlights, batteries, and heaters (see our “11 Ways to Stay Warm” post) are crucial. However, there are multitudes of other great ideas for how to sustain a blackout in comfort and safety.
Here are a few ideas you may not have thought of from Curbly:
1. Turn your car into a generator: Buy a power inverter, which turns DC current from your car into AC current for electric gadgets. It’s the next best thing to a generator when it comes to surviving a blackout. An inverter to power a tablet or laptop will cost you about $25, but there are much bigger models ($100 and up) that can run power tools and appliances.
2. Get cash: In a blackout, cash is king and an essential part of your survival kit. Some stores may stay open, but they probably won’t be able to process credit card purchases. And all the cash machines will be on strike. Keep an emergency cash stash on hand.
3. Conserve batteries with LEDs: During a power outage, LED flashlights and lanterns have a huge advantage over incandescent models: They allow batteries to last much longer (typically about six to ten times as long).
4. Fill the tub: When the power grid goes down, your city water system may soon follow. So fill up buckets and bottles for washing, flushing and drinking.
5. Fill the grill tank: A blackout limits many of life’s little pleasures, but you can still enjoy a hot meal if you have a gas grill with a full tank.
6. Have a backup plan handy: If a blackout lasts long enough, even a well-prepared family will want to give up and get out. So make just-in-case arrangements with friends or relatives who are willing take you in. If you wait, you might find that phone and Internet communication becomes a lot more difficult.
7. Ice saves money: A couple of days without power can cost you a few hundred bucks as food spoils in fridges and freezers. Fill locking freezer bags with water and keep them in the freezer. During a blackout, they’ll help the freezer stay cold longer. Or you can transfer them to the fridge or a cooler. When they thaw, you’ve got drinking water.
8. A CO detector is essential: Blackouts often lead to carbon monoxide deaths. To get heat during outages, people crank up fireplaces, gas stoves and all types of heaters—and anything that burns produces carbon monoxide. It’s OK to use these heat sources, but place a battery-operated CO detector in the room to warn you if the deadly gas becomes a hazard. You can buy a detector for about $25 at any home center.
9. Gas up: Even if you don’t plan to go anywhere, your car is a critical part of your survival kit. It’s your emergency transport, your charging system for cell phones and maybe even the only heated space you’ll have. So don’t wait until the blackout hits to fill your tank.
10. Get a radio: If phone and Internet systems go down along with the power grid, a battery-powered radio may be your only source of weather and emergency information. You could listen in your car, but a portable radio lets you listen anywhere. Battery-powered radios cost as little as $20 at discount stores.
SHARE YOUR BEST BLACKOUT SURVIVAL TIPS IN THE COMMENTS SECTION BELOW!
1. The tank on the back of your toilet contains water that is virtually uncontaminated and provides a small supply of water for spot-bathing or drinking..
2. If you have a hot water heater with a tank, it will provide you with gallons of pure water. There’s a valve at the bottom of the tank designed to drain it, but you can hook a hose to it and use it for a water source. You may have to open a hot water faucet in the house to prevent a vacuum in the tank from building up and stopping, or reducing, the flow out of the tank.
A good “deep cycle” 12-volt battery (Marine Battery) with 12-volt LED bulbs will provide many hours of light. Bulbs are available with a standard base that can be used in standard lamps. A 12-volt solar panel system can easily recharge the battery. Don’t want a spare battery? Use your vehicle battery.
An “Inverter” can change the 12-volts into 110-volts to run an electric razor, small appliances, recharge cell phone, etc.
A car/truck alternator hooked to a bicycle can be used to recharge the battery and provide exercise at the same time.
Power out for a long period of time – innovate, innovate, innovate – SAFELY!!