Be Prepared for When You Lose Electricity and the Lights Go Out

What do you do when the lights go out? Electricity is so ingrained in our way of life that it's hard to imagine living without it, yet things happen daily that cut off power to homes. Hurricanes, tornadoes, blizzards, brownouts, blackouts, terrorist attacks or just someone driving into a "light pole," can cause electricity to go out for hundreds or even thousands of homes.

When the lights go out, there are ways to survive it, even if it lasts for days. But it's best to prepare ahead of time.

Lights

The new flashlights powered by hand wound generators are under marketed. They should be taking the place of traditional, battery powered flash lights in every home. Not only do they have a nice, clear light that shines for a good distance, they don't cost a penny or take anything else to use other than a few cranks of the handle. They keep the charge an amazingly long time and when they do run down, a few cranks and they're ready to light up the darkest night.

Other than flashlights, be prepared with Aladdin (or Coleman) lanterns or kerosene lamps, or at the very least, a good supply of candles. Keep matches with the candles in a place that's easy to find in the dark. Matches should also be kept with lanterns or lamps, so you won't have to grope around in the dark looking for them.

Food

Most refrigerators and freezers have very good insulation, so take advantage of that when the power goes out. To be on the safe side, check the door gaskets by inserting a piece of paper in the door, then closing it. If you can't easily pull the paper out of the closed door, the gasket is fine. If, however, the paper is easily removed, you need a new gasket. You can get one from almost any used appliance store and you can install one yourself and they're not expensive.

A full freezer will keep food frozen longer than an partly empty one, so keep yours well stocked. If you can't do that, fill empty spaces with milk jugs or soft drink bottles filled with water. Leave at least three inches of headroom for water to expand as it freezes. You can also use these to keep food in your refrigerator cool. Place one on each shelf for the best results.