Power outages can occur unexpectedly due to a range of factors including severe storms, wildfire impacts, extreme temperatures, or even accidental damage like a vehicle striking a power line near a residence. Regardless of origin, the duration and environmental conditions during a blackout can make these events hazardous or potentially life-threatening. Effective preparation remains crucial in mitigating the risks associated with such incidents.
Michael Coe, vice president of physical and cybersecurity programs at the American Public Power Association, summarizes the approach to preparation aptly: "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." Following this philosophy, experts provide guidance on maintaining safety during outages and strategically planning for future occurrences.
Pre-Outage Preparations
Disaster executive Denise Everhart of the American Red Cross points out that individual circumstances largely dictate preparedness requirements. Households housing children, pets, or individuals dependent on medical devices requiring continuous power supply must tailor their efforts accordingly.
In this context, Mr. Coe advises customers to notify their utility providers if they rely on electrical medical equipment. Utilities often offer formal processes or forms accessible via their websites to register these special needs, allowing for potential arrangements such as backup battery provisioning to maintain necessary power during an outage.
Deciding whether to evacuate during a power outage is a critical consideration, particularly if remaining without electricity would jeopardize safety. Ms. Everhart stresses that sometimes leaving is the safest choice.
For those opting to stay, assembling an emergency kit is vital. Such a kit should include adequate food and water supplies intended to last two weeks, relevant pet necessities, medications, and accessible cash reserves sufficient for about a week in case electronic payment systems fail.
- Illumination sources such as flashlights, glow sticks, or battery-powered lanterns
- Chargers and backup batteries for mobile devices
- Seasonally appropriate items: blankets during cold spells or additional water for heat conditions
- Handwritten contact numbers for friends and family to counteract loss of phone capabilities
- A solar-powered or hand-crank radio to remain informed via emergency alerts if standard communication networks are offline
Selecting suitable food involves balancing nutrition and palatability, with options like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and canned goods commonly recommended. However, family composition, including the presence of young children, necessitates careful selection to ensure consumption.
Living conditions significantly influence blackout experiences. Individuals with gas heating in urban settings may retain basic amenities such as hot water for showers, whereas those relying solely on electric heat or well water face more stark constraints, including limited flushing capacity and loss of running water.
To mitigate issues arising from water limitations, Matthew Gonzales, executive director for the Consumer Energy Alliance Southwest Region, advises preemptively storing water in baths or buckets to facilitate flushing and hygiene needs post-outage.
Further, Coe recommends registering for emergency notifications offered by utility services, law enforcement, and emergency medical providers. Prompt access to advisories on boil water mandates, evacuations, or other urgent information is essential during outages.
Managing the Outage
Once the power ceases, maintaining refrigerator doors closed preserves food safety; refrigerators can generally sustain safe temperatures for up to four hours without power, while freezers may maintain these conditions for up to 48 hours unless repeatedly opened. Perishable items should be consumed first.
In cold climates approximating refrigerator temperatures (around 37 degrees Fahrenheit or 3 degrees Celsius), storing food outdoors might prolong preservation. However, fluctuating outdoor temperatures make this an unreliable method, and any food displaying unusual appearance, odor, or taste should be discarded.
Prior to consuming household water, it is critical to verify its safety, particularly to detect boil water advisories that indicate contamination risks. Tools such as the Red Cross emergency app can provide current alerts regarding water safety.
For warmth, individuals with fireplaces or furnaces retain heating options. Others may utilize alternatives including hand warmers costing approximately one dollar, heated clothing priced above one hundred dollars, battery-powered electric blankets starting around forty dollars, and portable propane space heaters typically costing eighty dollars or more. Propane tanks for space heaters can also fuel compact camping stoves.
Safety precautions are imperative: never leave space heaters or candles unattended to prevent fire hazards. Bringing generators indoors is hazardous due to the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, as highlighted by Everhart. Should prevailing temperatures be unsafe even with these measures, evacuation should be considered.
Neighbor check-ins are also recommended when safe to do so, providing community support during outages, as advised by Gonzales.
Strategic Planning for Future Incidents
Planning during periods without active threats enhances readiness and resilience. Key preparatory measures include:
- Learning to operate manual garage door mechanisms during power failures
- Designating a consistent location for storing keys and consolidating essential documents for rapid evacuation
- Developing alternative evacuation routes in case primary avenues are inaccessible
- Understanding emergency transit routes for public transportation users
- Investing in larger portable generators capable of delivering 5,000 to 10,000 watts to power critical appliances including microwaves, refrigeration units, or space heaters; typical cost ranges from $500 to $1,000
- Exploring solar battery storage solutions or technologies such as reverse electric vehicle charging for supplemental power during grid outages
- Establishing communication plans with family and friends that do not rely solely on internet or cellular services
Everhart encapsulates preparedness succinctly, emphasizing a triad of having an emergency kit, a well-formed plan, and reliable notification methods to receive and disseminate information.