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When bad weather hits, the rain is pounding and the windows shake, you know there’s a good chance there may be a power outage. But other times the power just goes off suddenly without warning. Either way, most people panic and scramble to find the emergency candles. But what if the power outage lasts longer than a few hours?

Without a plan in place, it can be extremely difficult to adjust. In this post, we’ve outlined some simple steps you can take to be prepared for a power outage whether it lasts a few hours or days.

1. Pay Attention To Weather News And Alerts

If the power outage is large scale, it’s likely weather related. So by checking the news and knowing if bad weather is coming, you can stay ahead of the game. If there is no national coverage, get in touch with your power company. They will have a recorded message letting you know what the issue is and when you can expect the power to come back on.

2. Stock Up On Food And Water

As soon as the power outage occurs, fill a couple of containers and your bathtub with tap water to make sure you have drinking water available. Remember, if you wait too long to do this, the water may not be safe to drink as it stagnates in the pipes.

As well as this, build up an emergency store of bottled water along with some non-perishable food. If the power outage lasts more than 24 hours, you’ll be glad you have this emergency store to keep the family happy.

3. Stock Up On Solar Powered Items

It’s hard to imagine living without a mobile, but without power, you’ll run out of battery fast. Solar power is a clean, consistent way of powering electricals in your home. With the climate in crisis, it’s important to do what we can to limit our impact on the environment and solar power during an emergency is an environmentally friendly place to begin.

4. Prepare A First Aid Kit

A study showed that accidental deaths increase by a staggering 122% during power outages. So it’s important to be prepared. The Red Cross has an extensive list of essentials to help you put together an effective first aid kit.

5. Invest In A Generator

A generator is the most reliable way of providing your home with electricity when there is no grid power. It should be placed a safe distance from your home to make sure that any dangerous fumes are properly vented. Also, check the oil regularly to make sure when the time comes it’s ready to go.

Check out this post for more information on investing in a generator for a power outage.

6. Have Emergency Plans

It’s vital to prepare an emergency plan in the event of a power outage. Here are some things to prepare:

  • Make sure your whole family knows where the emergency supplies are kept.
  • Have a safe place to meet in case the outage is caused by a disaster that renders your home unsafe.
  • If you have a medical condition, talk to your doctor about how you’ll access medicine and care.

7. Get A Radio

A radio will let you keep in touch with the news and hear important information about your area.

Radios don’t need cell coverage and can run on batteries which means you’ll stay connected in a  power outage.

8. Get Your Electrical System Ready

Electrical surges are a real threat during a power outage and can fry any electrical items you’ve got plugged in. As soon as a power outage occurs, unplug all electric items to protect them from surges. Leave a single lamp plugged in so you know when the power is back.