Whether it is bitterly cold weather, huge snow storms, or winter rain storms, winter can bring a variety of weather to us that tests our ability to survive. We can think about emergency preparedness for winter and take the steps necessary to protect ourselves. We can all lessen the impact on our lives. In our last post about getting ready for winter, we listed a number of areas for consumers to consider. In this post, Emergency Preparedness for Winter, we are going to focus on the emergency side of the question. Emergencies are when you have no power, no water, and no way to get to safety. What do you do now to make your life easier in these situations?
Emergency Preparedness for Winter
Water -without electricity the water supply may not work. Cooking, cleaning, washing, etc not to mention water for drinking will be in jeopardy. Make sure you have enough water stored up to supply your needs for several days unless you feel there is a chance that the outage will last longer.
Food -The same applies to storing food that will not deteriorate without refrigeration. Dried foods, although not that exciting are easy to store and will keep you from going hungry. You also do not need electricity either to prepare it.
Electricity – an electric generator is a handy thing to have if your power goes out often and stays out. Gas-driven hookups are required to ensure that you have enough electricity to run the basics can make the difference between an uncomfortable difficult period and one that is just ok. Make sure that the generator is always situated outside and that you have sufficient gasoline to run your generator for a few days.
Lights – candles, flashlights, batteries, or at least wind-up flashlights are a necessity. Your generator may provide enough power for a few lights, but you probably want to run the fridge on it to keep your food fresh. Have sufficient candles and dry matches for longer periods of darkness with no electrical power.
Heat – If you do not have a wood-burning fireplace, you need to develop a plan to heat your home if the power will be off for a long period of time. No electricity means your furnace does not work and your electric heating does not work. Using propane heaters indoors can kill you so do not do that either. Running a gas generator outdoors and connecting it to the furnace and the fridge are probably the two main priorities. Make sure it generates sufficient power to handle both.
Don’t forget Evacuation Plans
Evacuation – if there is a chance that you will need to evacuate, have an emergency pack ready, make sure the car is full of gas, and know your escape route. Don’t wait until it is too late to get out. Leave early to avoid road congestion or blockages.
The above are the basic necessities to consider to get ready for any emergency. You need to assess what the worst thing is that will occur and then prepare for that situation. Since this particular post is focused on winter conditions, you may have to adapt it somewhat if you are concerned about flooding or high winds for example at other times of the year.
March 1st, 2016 on 3:54 am
That’s the beauty of a dark wood, rergdas touch ups, they tend to be easily disguisable. I wouldn’t spot sand over the water damaged areas, it will stand out like a sore thumb. Wait till your going to do your first full sand. If the damage bugs you, a specialist would be able to do plank replacements (yes even though it’s glued). I’d be happy too, very nice rich finish. Thumbs up