Things To Prepare For : Power Outages
I have posted on STEEMit, that I believe that an EMP (electromagnetic pulse) event is our highest SHTF event that could lead to TEOTWAWKI. But, even if you aren't a doomsday scenario tracker or a prepper, losing power can a significant event.
Right now there are approximately 98,000+ people in western Michigan without power after deadly storms hit last night. We are talking about a large area of rural and suburban Michigan.
Source: MLive.com media
Wind gusts knocked down trees all across the area causing power lines to be taken down as well. This was a storm that packed a wallop of a tropical storm.
Source : lintvwood
According to Consumers Energy, the power company for most of the affected area, power could be out until Sunday night.
A long weekend without power might not seem like much, but if you relied on the power to keep medicine cold or an electrical medical device working, it is going to be a very long weekend.
After the damage from the initial impact of the storm is calculated, then there will be the damage due to the lack of power for three days. For those who had prepared for the possibility that the grid might go down, things will be easier going.
But, this is just another example of why prepping doesn't have to mean being some crazy person looking for the world to end. Prepping just means that you are preparing yourself for the possibility of something happen. That something could just be a very bad storm.
Hi @deanlogic, yes power outage even for a short time period (hours/days) is a real hassle.
I live in rural Wales in the UK and we usually get 3 or 4 significant power outages a year, but fortunately only for a day or less.
I'm currently in the process of getting PV and a battery bank installed to provide essential backup power for up to 4 days. Hopefully I can expand further as finance permits.
I've got three solar panels. Barely pulling 15 volts when the sun is shining and no batteries to charge yet. My buyout bag has a small set of goal zero panels with a battery enough to charge an iPhone. We'd only be mildly inconvienced if we lose power. Cooking outside, etc. I think power outages are kind of fun times to get out the gear and "make do" with what we've got.
Preparing for life events should be the norm, now days it is not thought of. A large lack of common sense.
Failing to prepare is preparing to fail..
I have 2 solar phone chargers plus a small phone charger that is not solar powered. I have a small charcoal grill for cooking. What I am looking for is a solar radio to hear information with.