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Power outages are all too common.
In some places, they are an inevitable part of winter.
Ensure your safety and comfort by learning how to prepare for winter power outages.
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We spoke to energy and preparedness experts to help you prepare for upcoming winter power outages.
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Collect First Aid Items
Stay healthy during power outages with first aid items.
TheRed Cross recommends20 essential items to create a four-person first aid kit.
Stock Essential Meds
Stock up on needed medicines, too, says Christian Schauf.
“If they need cooling, like insulin, you should have a backup plan,” Schauf says.
Whatever essential medicinesyou or others take regularly should be individually labeled.
Cycle them out occasionally to keep them fresh.
Speak to your doctor about obtaining extra medicines for emergencies.
Gather Portable Lights
Portable, battery-powered light sources help you find your way around at night.
They’re safer and provide better illumination than candles.
Survival expert Hugh Simpson keeps a dozen flashlights fully charged at all times, including a lantern-style battery light.
Christian Schauf keeps a solar-powered flashlight on his window sill.
“This is an easy way to ensure you have light and that its charged,” he says.
You’ll want to store backup batteries separately from your regular stockpile of batteries that you use daily.
A power bank supplements the battery in your smartphone, tablet, or laptop.
It connects to your rig with a USB cord and simultaneously charges multiple devices.
Purchasing a whole home battery is a significant investment.
You’ll need tohire a licensed electricianexperienced at whole home battery installations.
Maintain Your Generator
Keep yourgeneratormaintained and full of fresh fuel.
Fuel degrades after about three months in storage.
Propane doesn’t degrade like gasoline and can be stored for long periods of time.
Solar panels with battery storage collect excess solar energy when grid power isnt available.
Collect Warm Clothing
When the electricity goes out, your heating system might stop working, too.
Electric and gas furnaces, heat pumps, baseboard heaters, and wall heaters are electric.
Your travel range will be limited to the amount of gas or level of charge.
So, at the earliest warning of a winter storm, top off all vehicles' tanks with fuel.
Put electric vehicles on the charger.
Practice for an Outage
Are youreallyprepared for a winter outage?
If you think so, challenge yourself for one day.
Choose a night when you don’t have work or school the next day.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
