Surviving Short-Term & Long-Term Power Outages

A power outage can really show us how much we rely on electricity. If you live in a cold area a power outage can threaten your well-being and your life, especially if you are caught in a blizzard or snowstorm where help may not arrive as soon as you’d like. It is situations like these in which the survivalist must be prepared so that they can remain calm and comfortable. There are essentially two types of power outages: short term and long-term.

Short-Term Power Outage

A short-term power outage is one that may only last for a few hours or a day or so. In any event being without power means being without the resources you need to stay warm, cook foods, and learn about what is happening in the news. Storms are not the only things that can take out the power. A power-plant can go down and a large portion of the grid could go offline resulting in wide-spread power loss.

Long-Term Power Outage

The more serious of the two, a long-term power outage means the conveniences of your life are taken from you and you’ll have to rely on your preparation to get by. Especially true for cold weather locales, a power outage and your planning can be the difference in surviving or freezing to death. Many homes now-a-days have electric heating sources that will obviously not work in the event of a power outage. If you have a fireplace, make sure it is cleaned and is ready for use during the winter months.

Preparing for a Power Outage

As with most survival training, preparation will play a key role. You should have a power outage survival kit in place in the event you need to spend a few days or longer without power so that you can maintain your warmth, and eat and drink comfortably. Consider purchasing a generator that will help you prevent the hassle of a power outage. Be sure to have plenty of gasoline handy. In the event of a power outage keep a cool head and remain calm so that you make good decisions. If there is going to be a prolonged outage, have a plan to move to a different location.

Power Outage Survival Kit

A solid piece of your preparation will lie with your survival kit. The power outage survival kit should include the following:

• Batteries
• Light source- lantern, flashlights, candles
• Tools- multi-tool such as a Gerber, duct tape, and can opener for foods
• Fire extinguisher
• First aid kit
• Cell phone with extra battery
• Radio
• Portable heater
• Weather appropriate clothes
• Blankets and pillows
• Bottled water
• Pet food
• Medications