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The grid in your city just went down. Electricity is off. Banks are closed. ATM’s are useless. Make no mistake about it, the first 72hrs are critical in this situation. People will begin to panic after the power is not back on after several hours. What are some of the moves you need to immediately make or already have prepared for to get ahead of the pandemonium to come?
This is a short list of 5 items to consider. Your list can easily be much longer, but this was created to give you some framework to build upon for your household. Being prepared ahead of time with a checklist of items already organized and ready to go will put you well ahead of the pack.
Emergency Cash
You should always have some emergency cash available in your home or somewhere accessible in a pinch. Without access to savings or the ability to use credit / debit cards, make sure you have enough cash to take care of the necessities for a while. Cash will also give you the advantage of getting out of town to a hotel or out of town family member if need be.
2. Get Stocked Up
Many people won’t be prepared. Some stores may open during the day but will only be able to accept cash for purchases with the power down (if they open at all). Food, water, medicine, fuel to cook (propane, charcoal, etc.), lights (candles, flashlights, wood for fireplaces, etc.), are just a few of the items you want to be stocked up on. Other accessories like batteries, matches / lighters, and a small solar or hand crank charger to power up your electronics will come in handy.
You can always charge up you phone in your car or a neighbors. The longer you wait, the more you take the chance of supplies running out or stores closing down. Below is a great example of a low cost power station with decent power for recharging things like your phone, laptop, ipad, and CPAP machine. (It may still have a $20 to $30 discount. You'll see it on Amazon when you get to the page.)
3. Emergency Gas
Having a few gas cans already filled can be a massive difference maker. Since the electricity is down, so are the gas pumps! As the old saying goes, “It’s better to have and not need, than to need and not have”. Also make sure to use a gas stabilizer in your gas can to prolong the gas life.
4. Back Up Your Contact Info
In today’s world where technology runs everything, we often forget the old ways that never failed us. Keep a printed out or written down copy of emergency contact information. Most people couldn’t remember a phone number if your life depended on it these days lol. If you are unable to power up your cellphone to retrieve those numbers to contact a loved one or friend for help, things could get scary really quick.
5. Protection
This one is a given. The chances of those with ill intentions being up to no good always go up when the lights are down. Having any sort of protection around the house beats none at all. You may have to deter someone from attempting to “borrow” something from your home in the middle of the night. With power out for a few days or even longer, some people become desperate under stressful situations. Govern yourselves accordingly.
I hope this has blessed you!
Coach Dex
survivingwhatscoming.com/blog
September 2020