Power Outages (December)

How to Prepare for a Power Outage:

• Keep your 72 hour kit stocked with flashlights and extra batteries (placed where you can find it in the dark); radio; foods that require no cooking; crank/car phone charger.

• Consider investing in a camping stove or grill.

• Know your utility numbers. Keep your phone books to look up numbers.

• Always keep your car’s gas tank more than half full.
  This is a good habit for any type of situation.

• Have a refrigerator thermometer to know if food is safe to consume in a power outage.

• If a strong storm is predicted, freeze water bottles to keep things cool in the 
refrigerator and freezer.

• If your heat is electric - Are you prepared to keep warm if the power outage happens in the winter?

In the event of a power outage:

• Unplug appliances/electronics and turn off all but one light.

• Add bags of ice to the refrigerator/freezer to help keep cool. Consider taping the doors.

•  Pack a cooler of essential items you eat often. Styrofoam works fine for this purpose. Keep the refrigerator and freezer door closed.

•  A full freezer will keep food frozen for 2 days (half full for one day). Food in the refrigerator will keep cold for 4 to 6 hours. Any food that is thawed above 40 degrees should be discarded.

• Disconnect garage door opener if you have one. 

For more information:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/  I really like this article written by a mother who had to prepare for hurricane Sandy and had her power knocked out by a hurricane in the previous year.
http://www.bt.cdc.gov

http://www.fivecentnickel.com