Food and water are vital to your well-being. That’s why, despite the inconvenience of a power outage, it is important to take steps to ensure an adequate supply. Food can be simple and meals kept light. Water is used so often in everyday life that we forget the many ways that it can be conserved. These tips can help you get through an outage and keep healthy.
Refrigerators and freezers will keep food for a while without power. Wrapping the appliance with blankets and opening doors as little as possible will help.
Now is the time to use the emergency rations you stored or the canned goods you already had on hand. Soup, chili, and stew, for example, are easy to fix. If cooking is impossible, these foods will still supply nourishment if eaten cold.
Fireplaces, wood or coal stoves, and camp stoves can be used for cooking. Be sure to ventilate properly and never use charcoal indoors.
A supply is needed for washing, cooking, and drinking. Fill plastic jugs, pots, bathtubs, and sinks in case the water supply is cut off. Remember that water for drinking is most important, so eliminate other uses if necessary.
Flush as little as possible. If the water supply fails, you can flush by pouring stored water into the bowl. A portable camper’s toilet also may be used.
Frozen pipes can cut off the water supply or even burst, causing damage to your home. Let faucets drip. If pipes freeze, shut off the main water supply and open faucets completely.
• This guide from MED:
• Flashlights and batteries
• Glow-in-the-dark sticks
• A lantern
• Wind-up clock
• Portable radio
• Mylar blanket
• Can opener
Downed power lines are extremely dangerous. Stay at least 20 feet away from any downed lines