How to prep for power outages as a family?
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Unfortunately, power outages can happen when people least expect them. These outages can prevent people from performing daily tasks while also causing some concern for younger kids. If you have a family of your own, you should learn how you can prepare for power outages. Doing so can help you remain safe and comfortable when you don’t have access to electricity.
Get some flashlights, batteries, and candles
Power outages can happen during any time of the day, so you need to prepare by having light sources in your home. For example, you can have flashlights in specific locations in your house. This makes it easy for you to find the flashlights whenever the lights go out, so you can let your family use them.
You should also have spare batteries with the flashlights, so you can replace them if any of the batteries run out. It also doesn’t hurt to have candles around the house, so you can light them if you need extra light. Candles can offer some convenience since they can burn for long periods.
Renting or purchasing a generator
Getting a generator may help tide you over when the power goes out. Since generators use gas you’ll be able to use this when you don’t have access to electricity.
If you don’t want to buy a generator, you can review generator rental options in your area. If your area is prone to power outages or you are told about pre-planned power outages, renting a generator can be a cost-effective alternative.
Have water and dry foods available
While you may have food in the fridge and have an in-fridge filter, you should think about having water and dry food in your home. Dry food should go in a closet or pantry, so you can pull it out and enjoy some food even when you can’t cook. If you own an electric stove or microwave, you can’t use them during a power outage.
While the water should run in your home during a power outage, you may not want to drink from the faucet. You can remove this problem by having spare water bottles in your home, so you can drink from them until you can use a filter.
Backup your alarms
You need to focus on safety in any situation, so you should have backup batteries for your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. Some people won’t wake up when smoke fills the home, so having a spare battery can protect your family during a fire. This happens since the noise from the alarms can wake up your family.
This also matters for carbon monoxide detectors since you can’t smell the gas on your own. Having backup batteries in these devices will ensure you keep yourself safe if you run into any emergencies during the power outage. Make sure you consider similar emergency devices in your home, so you can remain safe.
Get some electronic-free entertainment
Power outages can become boring if you have to go for many hours without any electricity. This means you don’t have access to your television, the internet, or even video games, so you may not know what to do. This means you should prepare your family by getting some entertainment you don’t need electricity to use.
For example, you should have board games, cards, and books in your home, so you have something to do. Even if your kids can’t read, you can read to them, so they don’t get too bored during the outage. You can even buy video games with batteries, so you can have some fun during the outage.
Being prepared is key
Preparing your family for various circumstances requires you to think about what you need ahead of time. This includes preparing for power outages since you want to make sure your family remains comfortable and safe during it. That way, you can make the situation as good as possible for your family until the power returns in your area.