Emergency Power Sources

Too often set comfortably in our ways, there are many things about modern life we take for granted. And one of those is our access to practically unlimited and reliable supplies of power and energy.

In any crisis or emergency, those sources of power are likely to be disrupted – and who knows for how long that power outage might last. How long could you and your family manage? How will you cope when you lose access to any emergency power sources?

Preparedness

The key to coping with or surviving any emergency is being prepared for it in advance. Simply reading this webpage may be the first step along the way to the awareness that marks the first stage of preparation.

When preparing for any sudden or unexpected future power outage, ask yourself what you are most going to miss from the supply of energy you currently take for granted. Any plans you make are likely to focus on the principal requirements of:

• light;

• heat; and

• food.

Light

The first you might know of any power outage – especially in the dark days of winter – is that the lights go out. This can be a frightening and disorienting experience, especially if you are unused to any kind of power cut and if you are unprepared for one.

The Urban Survival Site suggests that is where your “lights out box” comes into its own. This is the box – whose location is known to every member of your family – containing your emergency kit of torches, spare batteries for them, hurricane oil lanterns, candles, and a box of matches.

The naked flame of a candle may be less safe in some situations and you might want to consider the inclusion of glowsticks as a temporary source of light. The UK’s Glowsticks website notes that glowsticks are often considered the only safe light source in emergency situations because they are not electrically powered and don’t produce the kind of spark you must avoid in any explosive situation.

Heat

Power outages in the dead of winter may leave you in danger of extreme cold when the heating goes off.

There is clearly an alternative if you have an open fire or wood-burning stove, but if not, the situation is likely to be saved by keeping warm in the clothing you wear and by preventing any further heat loss from your place of safety indoors. When the heating goes off, British Gas suggests that you:

• trap the remaining heat in just one or two rooms and keep windows and doors (including interior doors) closed;

• block draughts by rolling up towels or other items to stuff under cracks in the doors or windows;

• dress warmly in extra layers of clothing; and

• wrap yourself in blankets or a sleeping bag when it is particularly cold.

Food

There is typically no indication at all how long any power outage is likely to last. As time goes on, however, the weakest link in your preparations is going to be food normally stored in your freezer or fridge.

Fortunately, advises the website EVAQ8, provided you keep the door firmly closed throughout, a full freezer will maintain a safe temperature for your food for up to 48 hours – if it is only half full, that interval is also likely to be halved to just 24 hours.

Even if you have kept the door closed, though, the safe temperature of your fridge will fail after just four hours of the power cut and its contents must be transferred into an ice-filled cooler to be kept below 5ºC.

When preparing for any emergency power outage, therefore, concentrate on finding alternative sources of light, heat, and ways of preserving your stocks of food.