If you live in a hurricane prone part of the country then you are no stranger to power outages. It can be unbearable since you don't have refrigerator, and if you are in a tropical climate there's no air conditioning or fans. All you can do is wait for the power to return. If it caused by accidents that damages power lines it is usually repaired in a day or two. In the case of winter storms, power outages can last for weeks.
Be prepared!
1. Make sure you have working flashlight, batteries, cash, and first aid supplies. A rechargeable fan is great to keep you comfortable. Camping "lantern"
are great for power outages.
O2COOL 10-inch Portable Fan with AC Adapter $22.99
Tactical Flashlight, Komking Waterproof Ultra Bright LED Flashlight $9.99
Etekcity 4 Pack Portable Outdoor LED Camping Lantern $22.99
2 x HeroBeam LED Lantern V2.0 with Flashlight $20.97
ZLF 4 PCS LED Tent Lamp Hurricane Emergency Tent Light Backpacking Hiking Fishing $10.99
Energizer Max Premium AA Batteries, Alkaline Double A Battery (16 Count) E91BP-16 $10.09
Viridian CR2 3 Volt Lithium Battery, 3-Pack $7.89
2. You should have an alternative charging methods for your smartphone, cellphone, or other device that needs electricity.
GETIHU Portable Charger Real 10000mAh 2 USB Ports Power Bank $19.99
Anker PowerCore 10000, One of the Smallest and Lightest 10000mAh External Batteries Power Bank $25.99
Webetop Portable Generator Power Inverter Battery 100W 42000mAh Emergency CPAP $154.99
3. Make sure that you know where the manual release lever of your electric garage door opener is located and how to operate it.
4. Buy ice or freeze water-filled plastic containers to help keep food cold during a temporary power outage.
Rubbermaid Cooler, 10 qt. $15.53
Igloo Ice Cube Roller Cooler 60-Quart $77.99
Ice on the Box - Reusable freezer Gel pack $7.99
Cryopak Hard Shell Reusable Ice Pack, 3x5" (Pack of 8) $17.49
5. Conserve your vehicle's gas since gas stations rely on electricity to power their pumps. Avoid using your car to re-charge devices, do NOT keep the car running in a garage, partially enclosed space, or close to a home, this can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning.
6. If you rely on anything that is battery-operated or power dependent like a medical device determine a back-up plan
7. Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed. Most food requiring refrigeration can be kept safely in a closed refrigerator for several hours. An unopened refrigerator will keep food cold for about 4 hours. A full freezer will keep the temperature for about 48 hours.
8. Cook and consume perishable foods that might spoil. Throw away any food that has been exposed to temperatures 40° F (4° C) for 2 hours or more or that has an unusual odor, color or texture. When in doubt, throw it out!
9. Stock up on canned foods or food that don't require cooking.
LifeStraw Personal Water Filter for Hiking, Camping, Travel, and Emergency Preparedness $14.99
Wise Company Freeze Dried Fruit and Gourmet Snack Combination-120 Servings $79.35
Mainstay 1200 Calorie Emergency Disaster Food Energy Bar $7.95
10. Make sure you have a back-up method for heating food and water that don't require electricity like camping stove.
Coleman Butane Stove $20.18
Gasone Butane Fuel Canister (4pack) $12.99
11. Keep a battery powered radio available to monitor local news and emergency developments.
Esky Mulit-Pupose Emergency Solar Hand Crank AM/ FM/ NOAA Weather Radio with 3W Flashlight $28.99
Kaito KA550 6-Way Powered AM/FM Shortwave NOAA Weather Emergency Radio with PEAS (Public Emergency Alert System) $49.99
The Friendly Swede Emergency Solar Dynamo Hand Crank Radio, Smart Phone Charger and Flashlight with AM/FM/NOAA (2-PACK) With Fire Starter $29.95
Safe-T-Proof Solar, Hand-Crank Emergency Radio, Flashlight, Beacon, Cell Phone Charger $24.27
Ambient Weather WR-089 Compact Emergency Solar Hand Crank AM/FM/NOAA Weather Radio, Flashlight, Smart Phone Charger with Cables $14.99
12. If you are considering purchasing a generator for your home, consult an electrician or engineer before purchasing and installing.
Westinghouse WGen7500 Portable Generator with Remote Electric Start - 7500 Rated Watts & 9500 Peak Watts - Gas Powered $757.17
CAT RP12000E 12000 Running Watts/15000 Starting Watts Gas Powered portable Generator 502-3699 $2,399.99
Generac 6866 iQ2000 Super Quiet 1600 Running Watts $679.99
DuroStar DS4000S, 3300 Running Watts/4000 Starting Watts, Gas Powered Portable Generator $266.57
1000W 2.0 Hp Gasoline Generator With Carb By Sunpentown $152.08