Think Plan Do Act | Your Online Finance Companion
Today, our power-hungry lives find it difficult to survive without electricity. Our lives depend on electric power on so many levels.
From pumping water to high apartments to running our fridges, lighting, and ACs, electricity is intricately connected to our daily lives.
No wonder then that power outages can cause serious inconveniences if we do not prepare for it. Especially for those who rely on electricity-powered or battery-dependent medical devices, they can be a total nightmare.
Power outages can happen for many reasons, ranging from human errors to natural causes. Whatever the cause may be, it is important to be prepared for such inevitable situations.
Here’s a list of actions to take to keep your family safe and comfortable during the crisis.
Prepare An Emergency Plan
Like any other disaster, power outage requires a disaster recovery plan to ease the sudden chaos and tension. Develop a plan in detail, outlining the steps each family member will take to make the process easy.
Firstly, the plan should include a safe place where your family can converge in case of a blackout and the ways to communicate with one another.
Secondly, you can assign a specific role to each person. For instance, one can locate a flashlight while someone else is unleashing the portable generator.
You can effectively deal with moments of unpreparedness with a reliable retail electricity provider like First Choice Power. It has been supplying affordable electricity plans to Texas residents for over 70 years.
Have An Emergency Kit Ready
Depending upon its cause, it may be some time before the power is restored. At such a time, an emergency kit with all your basic needs can come very handy and even save your life!
Here are the items that you must have in your emergency kit.
Clean Water
There should be 1 gallon of water per person per day. Make sure you store enough water for at least three days and, if possible, even longer. Don’t forget to store additional water for your pets, too.
Food
Likewise, you should have enough supply of non-perishable food items to last for at least 3 days.
Store food that can be easily prepared without electricity like canned meats, dry cereals, canned juice, protein bars, fruits, and vegetables.
Battery-Powered Flashlight
It’s easy to forget to carry a light source with you during a sudden power outage. Be alert and keep flashlights at accessible locations throughout the house that you can reach easily, even in the dark.
A Portable Generator
A generator is a life-saver during an unprecedented power cut. It will enable you to power the necessary survival devices, making your struggle a bit easier.
Hand Cranked Or Battery-Powered Radio
Once the battery of your cell phones dies out, the radio will be your only medium to receive updates and alerts. For this reason, a battery-powered radio deserves a place in your emergency list.
First Aid Kit
It is not unlikely to get wounded or fall sick during a power failure. A first aid box will be your most prized possession then.
Your first aid kit should comprise of painkillers, plasters, non-alcoholic cleaning wipes, sterile gauze dressing, scissors, band-aid, and a thermometer.
Personal Sanitation Kit
Your plumbing system will be at a halt during the outage, so you need a backup solution to maintain hygiene and dispose of waste properly. Remember to store enough moist towelettes and a wag bag.
Keep Your Portable Generator Ready
A portable generator comes in very handy in case of a power outage. Hence, you should always keep it ready by conducting regular tests and checking the oil level.
Gasoline tends to go bad after a certain time of storage. Make sure you keep your fuel fresh.
Using a generator can be dangerous if proper precaution is not taken. Always remember to run your gas and diesel-powered generator outdoors in a dry place.
When using the generator, bear in mind that you must avoid connecting it to your home’s power circuit system. Instead, you should connect the appliances directly to it.
Notify Your Utility Provider
The first action to take during a power outage is to inform your service provider.
Considering the chaotic environment at the time of a blackout, you can’t assume that someone else in the neighborhood will do it. Be sure to save their number on your cell phone.
Unplug Or Turn Off All Your Electronics
There is a potential of voltage spike when the electricity is restored after an outage. This surge can damage the electronic appliances that were left turned on, so it’s best to unplug them.
This might seem obvious, but do not assume that a power strip will protect you from the surge.
Use Flashlights, Not Candles
More often than not, darkness makes you feel uneasy, especially during a blackout. In case you don’t have a working generator, go for flashlights as the next best alternative.
With candles, you have the risk of fire hazard, more so if kids and pets are roaming around. Rather, consider investing in a good flashlight with an extra set of batteries.
Travel With Caution
Power outages affect our cities in many ways. The traffic lights, gas pumps, registers, the A/C, and heating units may all come to a halt.
Traffic lights will be taken as stop signs, so you can expect bumper-to-bumper traffic in the intersections.
The back road would be crowded too since people will try to avoid the main road. So be extra cautious while traveling during an outage.
Do Not Get Near Downed Power Lines
Do not touch a hanging wire as electricity may be coming out of it. You should immediately inform the 911 or the utility company in case you come across such wires.
Lastly, Do Not Forget Your Pet
You should be concerned with the plight of your pet during a power cut and include them in your emergency preparedness plan.
Prepare a kit for them with enough food, water supply, medication, first aid, and other essential goods required during the outage.
Conclusion
The above tips will help you mitigate power outages safely and conveniently. The most important thing to consider when it comes to safety during a power failure is your electricity provider.
If you’re looking for green energy products, Tomorrow Energy is a great choice. It provides electric and natural gas supply services to residents in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York, Texas, and New Jersey.
