Electricity may not hold the same universal appeal as water and oxygen, but when it’s taken away, you quickly realize how much you’ve taken it for granted. Losing power for a couple of hours is no big deal unless you’re watching the season finale of your favorite show. When you lose power for a weekend or even a week, the consequences are more serious. If you don’t have any provisions, the roads are closed, and your back-up generator is spent, you could be in big trouble. When long-term power loss or any other disaster occurs, it’s important to have emergency resources close at hand. With a little preparation, you can be ready to face the chaos and even maintain a fairly comfortable lifestyle until things are back to normal. Here’s a quick guide for creating a power outage emergency kit and surviving an extended blackout with your wits intact.
Light It Up
Non-electric lighting supplies are your first line of defense against confusion, especially if you lose power at night. Keep the following items in a place that’s easily accessible.
• Flashlights
• Candles
• Matches or lighters
• Solar lights
• Glow sticks
• Oil lamps
Save the Grub
You’ll need to consume perishable and frozen foods first and keep them at safe temperatures for as long as possible. The following are must-have food-related supplies.
• Bottled water or water purification equipment
• Ice
• Coolers
• Canned and dry goods
• Can opener
• Camping stove
• Grill
• Propane or charcoal
• Non-perishable pet food
• Live edible plants
For important emergency food and water safety tips, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.
Play Doctor
If you can’t get to a doctor, you’re in charge of medical problems. Here are a few essentials to help keep you and your family healthy.
• Full first aid kit
• Hydrogen peroxide
• Antiseptic ointment
• Prescription medications
• Diabetic testing supplies
• Pain reliever
• Basic first aid manual
• Warm clothing
• Extra blankets
Keep in Touch
If you lose power, try to keep the lines of communication open for as long as you can. These items can help.
• Self-powered or battery-operated radio
• Batteries
• Extra cell phone chargers
• Contact information for your local power company
• Paper copy of your address book
Rocky’s Ace Hardware Helps You Prepare
To handle power outages and other emergencies like a survival expert, visit Rocky’s for essentials such as grills, coolers, solar lighting products and more. We’ll be happy to help you build an emergency kit that helps keeps you and your family safe, healthy, and comfortable until power is restored. Visit us to shop online—you can even pick up your order at your local Rocky’s hardware store.