BUGGING OUT 101:Power Failure Survival
- Eric Atwell
- Jun 23, 2015
- 3 min read
People panic at the thought of being without electricity in their home. Even if it is just for a few hours. This is a normal response for most people but if your anything like me, the loss of power isn't the end of the world. Yes it can get a little stressful not having your day to day comforts such as the T.V or the A/C to keep the house cool but being better prepared for these types of events can make life so much easier.
Below is a basic check list of supplies that will help you or your family survive a power failure emergency without being thrown into panic mode. A visit to your local Dollar Store can help with keeping the cost of these supplies dirt cheap.
Candles: Yes this is a basic light source but candles can also be used many different ways. Some other uses are: Cooking, Waterproofing, Scented Air Freshner, Heating . Be creative and I am sure you can find many more uses. (REMEMBER) Saving candle wax waste can still be a resource in making new candles. You never know just how long those lights are going to be out.
Fire Source: Refillable Lighters are your best choice. They can be refilled anytime they run out and wont leave you without a good flame in your pocket. Wooden Matches, (ie) Coating a match with candle wax will help make it waterproof and it will burn just a bit longer than normal.
Flashlight: When choosing a good flashlight always keep in mind that these consume batteries and will run out of power when the batteries have died. It is always a good idea to try and find a flashlight that works off of friction power of solar power. This will save you tons of money in the long run.
Solar Chargers: Having a few of these in your home can help with keeping your cellphone charged or other electronic devices.
AM/FM Weather Radio: Solar of Friction Powered. Maybe there is still a chance of more bad weather coming your way? If the T.V is out, you can still find out what's happening in your local area and have a better chance of staying out of harms way.
Water: Always keep water on hand even if it isn't drinking water. This will help with bathing, washing clothes, flushing toilets and cleaning. I have found that buying containers to keep water stored can break the bank. A really great way to stock pile water in bottles is as simple as reusing plastic bottles from other things around the house. Examples: Liquid Laundry bottles, Empty 2 Liter bottles, Empty Milk Jugs, and so on. Just wash them out and fill them up. It is a good idea to write the date on them of when you filled the bottle. This will help you with keeping your supply up to date and let you know if water in a bottle may need to be changed with fresh water.
Food: Anything in a can will last for a really long time. Dried foods such as beans, rice, flower, corn mill will last for a long time also. IF YOU CAN'T BUY BREAD YOU CAN STILL MAKE IT!
Cooking: A BBQ grill can work wonders if you already have one out in the garage and the food will taste great too! Be sure that using this method that you cook outside in a well vented area. Keep in mind that a gas grill will stop cooking once all of the gas has been used. So get a grill that cooks with wood or coal. If times are hard and funds are tight you can also use this 2nd method. Get yourself (2) concrete blocks and space them about 2 feet apart. Now go to the kitchen stove and remove the oven racks. Place the racks on top of the (2) concrete blocks and use wood as a source of fuel. "Dinner is served!"
So remember to stay level headed and keep calm. There are far more worse things in this life and living without electricity isn't any of them.
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