A power outage doesn't just mean the lights go out. The refrigerator will also stop operating, so the food in it melts. If you live in the tropics, the fans and air conditioners will also turn off, and you'll have to rely on flashlights and portable fans. Most power outages caused by accidents will usually resolve within 1-2 days, but power outages due to winter storms can last up to several weeks.
Step
Step 1. Be aware of any emergency that may hit your home
Areas prone to blizzards have different conditions from tropical areas prone to flooding, as well as urban and rural areas.
Step 2. Cook fresh food
If the temperature rises, remove the perishable food from the refrigerator and cook it before the food rises. Eat fresh food before it rots.
Step 3. Prepare food that does not need to be stored in the refrigerator
Foods that don't need to be cooked are even more suitable as emergency foods.
- Meat, fish, vegetables, soups, and canned vegetables and bottled juices are suitable as emergency foods, and can be stored for months. Also prepare cookies, biscuits, and snacks for children. Eat spare food when fresh food is exhausted or rotting.
- To keep food fresh, do not open the refrigerator unless absolutely necessary. The air in the refrigerator will stay cool for a while, even after the power goes out. But the longer you expose food in the refrigerator to room temperature, the faster the food will warm up, and the faster the spoilage will occur.
Step 4. Prepare alternative ways to cook food and water
Camping stoves are an ideal option for cooking, but be sure to read the Warnings section of this article to learn how to use them safely. You can also use a barbecue grill, but don't use it indoors to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. If you have a lighter, you can even use a gas stove. Also prepare fuel for your stove, just in case the power outage lasts for a few days.
- Actually, water is more important than food, but if you rely on a pump to get water, it may not operate during a power outage. Therefore, prepare a supply of drinking water of several gallons, and fill the tub or bucket with water for MCK purposes.
- Read the guide to getting emergency drinking water from a water heater on the internet.
Step 5. Set up a way to heat or cool the house during a power outage, depending on the climate in your area
For example, you may need to prepare firewood for your chimney, buy a portable fan, or prepare water to cool yourself down. If the heating in your home is gas, set up a gas stove with thermophile electronic ignition, or a gas-based generator.
Step 6. Set up automatic emergency lights in your home, so that the house does not go dark immediately when a blackout occurs
Most emergency lights don't look pretty and can only last for 90 minutes, both day and night.
- Find an emergency light that can recognize dark situations before they light up. Without this feature, the light's battery will run out before it gets dark.
- The fairly new emergency lights have a longer lifespan, due to improvements in LED technology and battery.
- Look for well-designed emergency lights on the internet, and install them starting from the kitchen and bathroom, as these are the two most used rooms in the home.
Step 7. If possible, get out of the house during the day when the blackout occurs
For example, you could go to the mall, watch a movie, or find something to eat.
You don't have to be stuck at home when a blackout occurs, unless you're sick or caught in a snowstorm. You can be outside until it gets dark
Step 8. If possible, purchase a portable power source or generator such as ATOM
You can connect several essential devices to this power source, such as portable fans, laptops, cell phones, and radios, and even refrigerators (if your generator supports it). However, don't expect you to be able to meet your electricity needs at home with this portable generator.
Step 9. Remember that you cannot use the TV, lights, or play games that require reading
Turn on the flashlight only when you are moving. You can make games, sing or chat. If possible, play!
Read books to pass the time, but you can only read while the sun is still up. At night, you should sleep. Time goes by faster when you fall asleep, especially if you can only wait
Step 10. Set up a battery-powered camping lantern
Lanterns are better suited for illuminating a room than flashlights. Also prepare a manual can opener, to open cans of pet food and other canned food.
Step 11. Set up a battery radio to monitor local news
The phone will also run out of power quickly, so you are also advised to prepare a power bank
Tips
- When the power goes out and the room gets dark, don't look for a flashlight right away. Allow your eyes to adjust to the darkness for a few moments before moving, to strengthen your vision. By adapting to the darkness, you won't bump into tables, walls, doors, etc.
- Set up board games, such as chess, checkers, or puzzles, for entertainment when the TV won't turn on. Think of the way the ancients had fun before electricity.
- Remember that cordless phones cannot work without electricity. Keep at least one landline phone at home. You can use your phone too, but have a car charger ready, just in case it runs out of battery.
- Do not keep contacting PLN to ask when the electricity will be back on. Contacting PLN once is enough. At PLN, many smart people know the electricity in your area is out, and they are trying to restore it. Constantly calling the PLN will not cause the electricity in your home to turn on any faster, and may only fill the telephone line when there is a real emergency.
- Contact PLN as soon as you notice a power failure. Sometimes, you are the first to notice a blackout, and if you don't contact PLN, PLN can't fix it.
- If the computer is connected to a UPS/UPC, save your work and shut down the computer as soon as possible.
- Buy a book to ward off boredom. By reading, you will be entertained without the need for electricity.
- Attach the glow-in-the-dark sticker to the flashlight, and place the flashlight in a location where the sticker is visible, such as on a bookshelf, next to a TV, next to a bed, etc. That way, when the power goes out, you'll be able to find the flashlight easily.
- Purchase flashlights and crank radios and glowsticks at the supermarket (glowsticks and crank flashlights) or hardware stores (crank radios). These three objects use absolutely no batteries, and are safer than candles. With a crank radio, you can find out why a power outage occurred (eg cable theft) or when the power will come back on.
- If you live in an area that experiences frequent power outages, we recommend buying a wind generator and solar panels, and a generator with natural fuels such as biodiesel. Also prepare a 12 V battery and a power inverter. Make sure all devices are plugged in properly, so that you have sufficient power reserves.
Warning
- This guide is only suitable for ordinary power outages lasting only a few days, and is not suitable for surviving hurricane or tornado situations, when power lines are damaged. To survive the storm, the preparation you do must be better. You are also advised to evacuate yourself during a storm.
- Be careful when using the generator, and make sure all extension cords are properly sized and UL listed. Generators can pass electricity to people.
- If not used properly, candles can cause fires. More than 140 people die each year from candle fires, according to the National Fire Protection Agency, and more than a third use candles as a source of lighting during power outages. Flashlights are much safer than candles.
- Barbecue burners and camping stoves can give off the toxic gas carbon monoxide. Use both with care, and never bring a gas device into your home or garage.
- Gasoline generators can be deadly if used indoors or in a garage where smoke can enter the home. Carbon monoxide gas is odorless, and the carbon dioxide detector may not work without electricity. Never use a generator in your home, garage, or other enclosed space!
