Winter Preparedness

WINTER PREPAREDNESS

Everyone is talking about “what would you do if…”

While that gives everyone ideas, it is not a PLAN.

A plan is important. If you don’t have experience, you need a plan to remind you what to do.

So what is your plan for WINTER?

So you have everything electric. (gas issues explained later)

The electricity goes off. What do you do first? Second? Do you know?

Anytime there is an emergency, the first thing you should do is #1 take a head count.  Where is everyone? Are they safe? Do you need to contact anyone and tell them? This may actually solve #2

#2 What happened to the electricity? Did you pay the bill? Can you see something wrong outside? have you heard a tree fall, a transformer explode? Is it something simple you can take care of yourself and fix?

#3 Are you safe? If a tree fell in the yard or a transformer blew, chances are you are safe.  If trees are falling and your place is surrounded by trees close to your house, you might need to take shelter elsewhere and bugout.

#4 Find warmth or a way to get warm Dress in warm clothes.  If the heat is now off, you will slowly get colder and freeze. Dress in your outdoor clothes at this point and make sure everyone else is dressed and ready for an emergency.

• Do you have an alternative way to heat?
• Kerosene Heater? Propane Heaters? Wood stove? Fireplace? Gas?
• Do you have a non-electric CO2 detector?
• Does your gas or propane heater need electricity to run?
• Is the kerosene wick new or properly burned in?
• Does the propane heater need a special kit to take batteries?
• Do you have extra batteries available?
• Do  you have sufficient fuel available?
• Do you have to go bring fuel inside?
• Do you have to go buy extra fuel “just in case”
• Do you have cash to buy fuel in case they have no electricity also?
• Do you have sufficient extras needed to run your heat?
• Batteries to run a blower?
• Lighters and matches for propane and kerosene heaters?
• Extra wicks for kerosene heaters?
• Do you know how to change a wick?
• Do you have a way to isolate and heat a smaller area if needed?
• Small bedroom?
• Bathroom
• Camping tent?
• Do you have a way to insulate the windows to conserve heat?

#5 How long will the electricity be off?  This is important for a variety of reasons.

• Do you need to turn water heater off?
• Do you have appliances that can blow a breaker when everything comes on at once?
• Unplug everything you can reach.
• Do you have heated water tanks for animals you need to monitor?
• Will you need to ration fuel?
• Do you have elderly family or friends you need to check on?
• Do you have relatives who won’t be able to make it home?

#6 Get your water together! Lets face it. If you are bugging out or the electricity is only off an hour, you are fine without water. But if it will take 3 days to get power back on, you need water. While some of these are immediate concerns, some are for more long term water emergencies.

• Do you have potable water on hand?
• Is it in danger of freezing?
• Do you have to move it somewhere safe?
• Is there a water advisory?
• Do you know how to find out?
• Do you know how to sanitize water yourself?
• Commercial Water filter?
• Bleach?
• Pool Shock?
• Sand filter?
• Do you have safe water available for pets?
• Do you have a way to store extra water short term?
• Does your bathtub hold water?
• Can you fill your washing machine to store water?
• Has your washer been cleaned and will it be potable?
• Do you know how to access the water in your hot water heater?
• Do you have the tools available?
• Do you know how to turn off the power?
• Does it need a short hose to work?
• Do you know how to flush your toilet without running water?
• Have all the toilets flushed and refilled
• Do you have alternative sanitation available?
• Cat litter?
• Trash bags?
• Port-o-potty?
• Commercial Potty Bags?
• Do you have a way to clean yourself?
• Wet wipes?
• Dry sink?
• Hand sanitizer?
• Camp shower?
• Portable Bidet?

#7 Food.  While it is often the first thing people think of, it is really one of the last things you need. Food provides comfort, it can help provide warmth and energy.  But if you are safe, have warmth and water, you can survive for a while without food.

• How long is your refrigerator food safe without electricity?
• Does it have an inside thermometer?
• Can you put snow or ice inside to help keep it cold?
• Can you eat things immediately?
• How long is your freezer good for keeping things cold?
• Do you have ice or snow to put inside?
• Do you have a way to cook?
• Wood stove?
• Fireplace?
• Kerosene stove?
• Top of kerosene heater?
• Camp oven?
• Reflector Oven
• HERC oven?
• Outside Grill?
• Gas stove
• Does it manually light?
• Does it need any electricity to run?
• Do you know HOW to cook without electricity?
• Have you ever cooked without electricity for practice?
• Do you have non-electric kitchen tools?
• Manual can opener?
• Manual blender?/Mixer
• Do you have a way to clean your dishes safely?
• Do you know the symptoms of various foodborne illnesses?

This is not a complete or comprehensive list.  This is a starting point only.  Everyone is different. Some have medical concerns, some have pets, some have very young children. Each presents it own set of problems with not having electricity.

Honestly, with practice and preparation, it is not a serious concern.  Our ancestors lived just fine without electricity. It is a matter of what you get used to and what you can learn.