Hot summers, extreme weather are just two of the causes of blackouts. For my family, living outside of the city makes it difficult to access all services in the event of a blackout so I make sure that we are prepared. Food, water, flashlights, candles and an emergency kit are all stored in our home to ensure that we are prepared. Before kids it really wasn’t something that I thought about. Now, it is definitely a concern.
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Power Outage Causes
One of the many things that we need to protect our families from is the threat of blackouts. Sometimes, blackouts are simply unavoidable. They may have been caused by nearby construction, a downed power line, a problem at the power plant, or by extreme weather. However, it’s also the case that a power outage might be triggered by something inside the house itself. These types of occurrences are both preventable and manageable, as long as you make sure you’re prepared.
Prevention Techniques
Power outage preparation should begin with you making sure – to the best of your abilities that you are ready for any extended loss in power. When a generalized power outage happens you need to wait for professionals to fix the problem which could take hours, days or sometimes weeks. However, in the home, regular maintenance is the best way to ensure that you don’t experience a power outage that affects just your property. One tried-and-tested method is to install a backup or standby generator in your home, which can take over if the mains power fails. It’s perfectly possible to install your own generator as long as you stay safe and use the right tools.
Dealing With a Blackout
In the event that a blackout does occur, it is a relief to know that you have done the best thing to protect your family until power is restored. Like our family does, make sure you stock up on water, put a family communications plan in place, and remember to keep your car’s battery and gas tank topped up, just in case you need to leave your home. With ever increasing flooding, fires and extreme weather there is more of a need now than when I was growing up to ensure that I had the right resources and tools on hand in case we need it. I always feel that prevention is definitely the best way to know you are prepared and ready in the event of something happening.
What do you do to ensure your family is protected in a blackout?
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