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Post by SA Hunter on Dec 27, 2017 21:04:00 GMT 10
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Post by SA Hunter on Dec 27, 2017 21:05:32 GMT 10
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Post by SA Hunter on Dec 27, 2017 21:06:16 GMT 10
When the power goes out due to a massive hurricane, storm, or natural disaster, you should be prepared to live without power for at least a day or two, and possibly a few weeks. Before you're sweating it out in candlelight, take a look at our blackout survival guide. www.popularmechanics.com/home/how-to/a772/3391786/ |
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Post by SA Hunter on Dec 27, 2017 21:08:58 GMT 10
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Post by SA Hunter on Dec 27, 2017 21:09:36 GMT 10
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blueshoes
Senior Member
Posts: 609
Likes: 700
Location: Regional Dan-istan
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Post by blueshoes on Dec 29, 2017 14:01:31 GMT 10
All good stuff thanks J I would like to add two things from real life experience. If your house is always clean and tidy and you wash the dishes straight after every meal ignore this post. A) If the power goes out during the daytime, as soon as the power goes out clear your floor of trip hazards. For us parents that means get all the toys and lego off the floor. As the sun goes down, it gets harder and harder (even with a torch) to see to avoid stuff, and harder to see what to grab to put away; a blackout isn't the time to knock yourself out tripping over that stupid whatever again. Ditto for anything you might have hanging at head height B) make sure you do ALL the dishes straight away if you can - while you still have hot and running water. Then stick to paper plates etc because heating water on a stovetop for dishes is a pain. Even if power is back in an hour or two there's nothing wrong with a clean kitchen...  but dishes can get stinky in record time if your air conditioning is off or the house is shut up to keep the heat in |
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Post by Peter on Dec 29, 2017 23:01:09 GMT 10
... or keep the heat out, as is the case in much of Australia this time of year...
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spatial
Senior Member
Posts: 2,396 
Likes: 1,560
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Post by spatial on Dec 30, 2017 9:05:48 GMT 10
All good stuff thanks J I would like to add two things from real life experience. If your house is always clean and tidy and you wash the dishes straight after every meal ignore this post. A) If the power goes out during the daytime, as soon as the power goes out clear your floor of trip hazards. For us parents that means get all the toys and lego off the floor. As the sun goes down, it gets harder and harder (even with a torch) to see to avoid stuff, and harder to see what to grab to put away; a blackout isn't the time to knock yourself out tripping over that stupid whatever again. Ditto for anything you might have hanging at head height B) make sure you do ALL the dishes straight away if you can - while you still have hot and running water. Then stick to paper plates etc because heating water on a stovetop for dishes is a pain. Even if power is back in an hour or two there's nothing wrong with a clean kitchen... but dishes can get stinky in record time if your air conditioning is off or the house is shut up to keep the heat in Good advice to keep things clean and serviceable. With most hot water systems the water will remain hot for up to 12-24h, so not to panic to wash dishes. One can also boil water to wash dishes, might be traumatic to some not having a dishwasher - I use a dishwasher, Psychology of surviving is a sense of power over the environment. Setting up lighting and going around doing things like picking up toys can be a fun activity and good distraction. Never let a disaster go to waste. Of curse if things get very bad and there are strong winds and hail or fire, injuries others that need your assistance then leaving things undone might not be good idea. Lighting is now so cheap that lighitng up a few rooms post power outage is not a challenge. I have over 20 touches, and additional 10 had cracked ones. Also have a few hurricane lamps with plenty of oil. Miniture hand crank for < $3 www.forsmallhands.com/media/catalog/product/cache/2/image/550x/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/v/7/v71_f13_p3.jpg<$13 at officeworks s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/wc-prod-pim/JPEG_300x300/QUCH3016BG_led_dual_mode_work_light_black_grey.jpgCheap hand crank tourch also around $11 www.amazon.com.au/Sungpunet-Dynamo-Flashlight-Torch-Camping/dp/B075GLF3BS/ref=sr_1_3?s=home&ie=UTF8&qid=1514588417&sr=8-3&keywords=torch+crankTop quality with solar, radio, USB charger $35 www.amazon.com.au/TabPow-Emergency-Powered-Flashlight-Survival/dp/B077ZC16M3/ref=sr_1_1?s=home&ie=UTF8&qid=1514588417&sr=8-1&keywords=torch+crankwww.amazon.com.au/ONEUPT-Emergency-Powered-Weather-Flashlight/dp/B077D4TG6H/ref=sr_1_15?s=home&ie=UTF8&qid=1514588417&sr=8-15&keywords=torch+crank |
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fei
Senior Member
Posts: 604
Likes: 876
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Post by fei on Jan 6, 2018 1:19:04 GMT 10
We're fairly well off for alternative sources of light -- hundreds of tea light candles, plus the wife's long-burning fragranced candles, and a drawer full of torches. The kids got new hand-cranked torches for Christmas, and will no doubt break them through over-use, but at least they know where there are and how to use them if need by.
If there was a blackout of more than a day or two, we would be trying to get to family in the countryside as early as possible. Living in a city of 8 or so million, where almost everyone is in an apartment building (and therefore has elevator and more importantly water in a blackout), meanwhile using cell phone based apps for all payments, meal deliveries etc, I would foresee societal relations breaking down very quickly as people's phones died, they couldn't get cash out or pay for things etc.
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Post by doomsdayprepper4570 on Jan 6, 2018 7:17:59 GMT 10
Stand alone solar producing 10-15kw a day so we got it covered!
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Post by graynomad on Jan 9, 2018 8:22:12 GMT 10
There has been a lot of blackouts around here recently, I went to buy ice cream at the IGA and they didn't have any, I inquired and was told that they had to throw it out after the power failed. If not for that I would not have even known about the failure, I love off grid |
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blueshoes
Senior Member
Posts: 609
Likes: 700
Location: Regional Dan-istan
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Post by blueshoes on Jan 11, 2018 8:07:29 GMT 10
most hot water systems will remain hot for up to 12-24h, so not to panic to wash dishes... True, but with one caveat - don't let the bored teenage girl go have a hot shower |
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Jul 7, 2024 11:02:41 GMT 10
