September is National Preparedness Month, and this year’s theme is “Preparedness Starts at Home.” It’s an excellent time to heed these recommendations and pull together three tiers of preparedness: Three hours, three days, and three weeks.
Three Hour Preparedness:
An emergency that lasts three hours can range from power outages at home to getting stuck in snow on the highway. This means having adequate means to get you through the difficulty with some degree of comfort.
Every vehicle should have an emergency bag; not just for mechanical issues, but for when you’re stuck in your vehicle for a period of time. Your kit should include warm blankets or sleeping bags, warm clothes (including socks and gloves), hand warmers, non-perishable foods (granola bars, nuts, etc.), flashlights with extra batteries, and a first-aid kit. And, since this is your vehicle, be sure to include flares or reflective triangles, traction devices, kitty litter or sand (for traction), snow shovel, ice scraper, and jumper cables.
For three-hour power outages at home, at least you already have warm clothes and blankets on hand. The difficulty is finding them in the dark, which is why flashlights should be kept in a central and easy-to-find location. Since flashlights are a short-term lighting solution, keep a few oil lamps or solar lanterns available. (Naturally, anything with flames must be kept away from children and pets.)
Three Day Preparedness:
Ah winter, when snow or wind can trigger a week-long power outage (ask me how I know). Because winter power outages are so frequent in our area, we’ve learned to have non-electric versions of everything possible: Heat, light, water, cooking methods, hygiene and sanitation, etc.
If wood heat isn’t an option, invest in one or more propane, kerosene, or other nonelectric space heaters, making sure they’re rated for indoor use (many are not).
There are many lighting options on the market. Our preference is kerosene lamps, making sure they’re placed where they cannot be knocked over. Additionally there are solar, battery, and LED products available which offer safe, consistent lighting without electricity.
Cooking without electricity can be challenging. A propane range can be lit with a grill lighter. Some people use an outdoor barbecue (never use it indoors!). Others tough it out by eating foods that don’t require heating.
It’s useful to have some sort of backup power source to keep food from spoiling in a refrigerator or freezer. There are many types of battery power stations on the market for a reasonable cost. Plugged in to a fridge or freezer for just an hour or two a day, these power stations will keep the food inside at a safe temperature, as long as the doors stay closed.
And of course, some people favor whole-house generators so they can continue their normal activities despite the power outage. If the only way to provide heat during an extended power outages is by electricity, an outside generator may be the best option.
Three-Week Preparedness:
If the power is out for three weeks or more, then preparedness shifts from handling an inconvenience to sheer survival.
Consider some of the core areas of preparedness under these conditions: Food, water, heat, lights, medical, sanitation, protection, communication, etc. But in the push to acquire supplies, don’t forget that preparedness is a three-legged stool: One leg is supplies, the second leg is skills/knowledge, and the third leg is community.
A three-legged stool famously will not wobble; but take away one leg and it falls over. You can have all the supplies in the world, but without the skills and knowledge to use them, the stool topples. Without the support of community, the stool topples.
That’s why it’s crucial to build the legs of that stool before a crisis occurs. No one wants to frantically learn the intricacies of pressure canning when their freezer is dead and the meat is spoiling. Neighbors are far more likely to help neighbors if they know each other in advance. In short, don’t just accumulate supplies. Acquire the skills and knowledge of how to use them, and build a relationship with those around you so you can band together and help each other during a crisis.
Peace of Mind:
The whole purpose of preparedness is to offer peace of mind whenever life throws us a monkey wrench. You may regret NOT being prepared, but you will never regret the opposite.
