Power Outages... How Do You Prepare?

[TanksHill]

I have one almost exactly like those, same brand different shape. We use it when camping. I boil in the tea kettle and then it makes just enough for dh and I to each have a large mug. Great flavor.

Mine fits a #4 cone filter and came with a reusable one as well. The paper filters make better coffee. The drip takes longer.

g

 

[dacjohns]

I recently moved into a house in a very remote area. Last winter was my first winter here, and I lost power A LOT. And for a couple of weeks at a time. It gets very windy here (hence my username) and we lose power at the drop of a hat. Because I'm so remote, it takes the power company forever to finally restore our area.

This year, I've already lost power once. So I'm trying to prepare. I have a small generator which isn't sufficient, but due to finances, I'll have to wait until I can afford a bigger one.

SO: What things should I have? I have several oil lamps and figured I'd stock up on lamp oil. Is that the best lighting, or does anyone have a better idea?

What about water? I live in a tiny little cottage with no basement or storage space. Last winter I stocked water in jugs in my dining room, which was not only ugly, but a few leaked and ruined my floor. Does anyone have any water storage ideas for outages? I have a shed I could put water in, but I'm sure milk jugs would burst. What else can I do, any ideas?

Cooking. Any ideas for that? I have a small woodstove and last winter was able to cook a couple simple things on it. Does anyone do anything else for cooking during outages? Do you stock certain emergency food that is easy to cook?

Cold storage? Last year I had to bag all my fridge food and bury it in the snow. This year I plan to buy a couple large coolers, but anyone have any other ideas?

Any ideas or tips you might know to make power outages easier would be great. Thanks!

Oh wow. We have entire threads devoted to these topics so I encourage you to browse and explore.

I will hit some highlights briefly trying to keep to the original topic title. "Power outages. . .How do you prepare?"

My preparedness for power outages is part of my overall preparedness. My biggest concern for an extended outage is my freezers. We bought a generator last year but haven't used it yet. Generators require a fuel supply.

You don't need to power your entire house, just the essentials like your cold storage.

Lighting: Candles, Coleman lantern, battery lanterns, headlamps, flashlights, and old fashioned oil lamps. I also have an Alladin kerosine lamp but would have to find the mantle and get some kerosine. Generator and extension cord for a table lamp. Whatever works for you and is reliable is best.

Water: I have a pond and means to purify the water; boiling, filters, chemical means. I also have some five gallon containers full of water that need to be changed out. In winter we can collect snow and ice and melt it on the wood burner. Pond water is OK for flushing the toilet.

I have a woodburning stove that we can cook on top of and I have even baked potatoes inside of it. You can cook anything you need on top of a woodburner. Good for winter when we are most likely to have outages.

Our kitchen stove is gas but the oven requires electricity because of built in safety features. The cook top can still be used.

Canned goods are easy to cook. Most of them are already cooked so all you are doing is warming them up. They can be eaten cold. Just ask any soldier.

Cold storage. I already mentioned the generator. Freezers and fridge are number one priority for extended outages.

 

[dacjohns]

Now maybe I'll go back and read the thread and refute everyone elses methods.

Or maybe make some supporting comments.

 

[baymule]

The people or the mosquitoes?

The people, the mosquitoes knew how to find us. LOL

 

[i_am2bz]

Another possibility for coffee is what's called a "french press"...just a large glass cylindrical carafe; you dump in coffee grounds, pour in hot water, let sit for a while, then "press" the grounds to the bottom of the carafe with this plunger-type device. I had one years ago in a non-emergency situation & it worked pretty good.

 

[dragonlaurel]

I used to get power outs during summer/fall from hurricane season. Here it's from ice/broken branches on the power lines.

Candles- Keep some " 7 day " jar candles around, plus any other candles you want and their holders. I stock up after holidays when they are cheap. A ceramic flower pot with sand in it is a good heat sink that doesn't tip easy. Always keep a lighter with your candle supply.
Crank flashlight and small battery ones.
Crank radio
Jug water
If icy weather is likely- I make ice and make a big pot of soup or something like that first. So I have something filling that I like, before we need to get into canned foods.
blankets
warm clothes
umbrella/rain gear in case we have to go outside.

 

[Wifezilla]

I have a french press. It does make a great cup of coffee. Works great for lose leaf tea too. They are not expensive and very handy.

 

[Icu4dzs]

I have been reading back to the beginning of this post and noticing a lot of folks considering the use of candles and other incindiary devices for light. I have a suggestion to replace these.

Recently, I bought a few of those yard lights which have solar panels on the top. The first ones I bought were $1.50 and I now could kick myself for not buying 100 of them. Several days ago I bought a few of them (made by Westinghouse) and paid $5/each.

After doing just a little experimentation with their capabilities I learned several things.

a) They are obviously rechargable even with a cloudy day and have rechargable batteries in them. If you have regular AAA batteries these will work as well but not last as long and are not re-usable. Go Green!

b) The amount of light produced by 1 LED in each of them will amaze you, particularly in a setting where you have no other options except the fire hazards of candles, oil lamps, kerosene lamps (of which I have at least 6) and a variety of other options.

c) They come apart very nicely and the solar cell and the LED are a single unit. The LED's of these little yard lights can be mounted on a piece of Plexiglass or even plywood would work with (holes cut to seat the light units) and will, if hung at ceiling level provide very adequate light. Two of them placed close to a book will allow comfortable reading. What I like best about them is that they are NOT fire hazards, will burn all night and they are re-usable.

d) They are really rather cheap. I bought a box of them (8 in the box) for $23. The eight lights placed near the ceiling gave enough light to see quite nicely. Two of them lit the hallway leading to the bedroom and two of them in front of a mirror lit the bathroom very well.

Of course, adding reflectors (mirrors are the best) amplify the light quite well. I got some old Harvey's Bristol Cream bottles (they are blue) from a friend and sat one of them on the bottle which gave a very nice blue light to preserve night vision. A red bottle would be better since it will diffuse the light and not interfere with night vision...like when you get up in the night for "whatever reason".

While they are more expensive than candles initially, the fact that they will last far longer than candles, will not burn down the house and are re-chargable make them ideal for the "emergency" situation as well as "ambience" wink wink

 

[CrimsonRose]

I love the led light idea! we had the power go out a few nights ago and I ran out on our sidewalk grabbed one so my 3yr old could have a night light... She won't sleep in total dark... and no way I was leaving a candle in in her room!

I am planning on picking up a few more up this week... menards has them on sale a set of 8 for 9.99 :bun (can't even buy the rechargeable batteries in them for that cheap!)

we also like to have things to entertain the kiddos... they like playing family board games and such to pass the time... (they are too small to just sit and read quietly) hahaha

we also have the kerosene heater and generator on hand and ready to go if the power is going to be out of a while...

 

[freemotion]

Wow, great idea....I may get a few for the barn, then I can steal them if we have a power outage!