Summer blackouts are less common than they used to be. They are also very dangerous. When extreme heat and grid failure occur at the same time, a power outage that could be a minor inconvenience in October becomes a real health hazard, especially for young children, the elderly and anyone with heat-related health problems. The time to prepare for that situation is not when it has already happened. A short checklist of equipment and plans, put together before the next heat wave, can make an outage much easier to manage safely.
The weather is changing now, but power outages are still possible. Being prepared is important because, according to the US Energy Information Administration, the average power outage lasts more than five hours. More than five hours without air conditioning can lead to heat-related health problems. The good news is that there are ways to protect yourself and others physically again you are mentally cool when this happens.
1. Prepare an emergency kit
An emergency kit is easy to build and inexpensive. You can even buy one at big box stores. Here’s what your emergency kit should include:
- Band-Aid gauze, ointment, and butterfly bandages
- Essential medicines
- At least one liter of drinking water is available to each person for at least a few days
- A well-equipped cooler and ice packs to keep medicines cool
- Non-perishable foods, such as canned goods, dry grains, nuts, snacks and other shelf-stable items that do not require cooking.
2. Notify your utility company
Have your utility company’s number available to report an outage. While they may already know about your situation, letting them know gives them a better idea of the scope of the breakup. In some cases, they can give you an estimate of when your power will return. This is important information to have, as it can help you prepare for an extended evacuation should it occur.
3. Look at relatives, friends and neighbors
If summer darkness is prevalent, affecting loved ones or friends, contact them and see if they are okay. Outages can especially affect those with medical conditions, children and the elderly. Therefore, making sure they have a place to go with air conditioning and enough water is important.
If everywhere else doesn’t work, check with your local Red Cross or news about nearby places like libraries or schools that are strong and open to the public. These sanctuaries ensure that people with medical conditions have a cool place to rest until strength is restored.
4. Buy food to last
For those who live in areas with bad weather, being prepared for long walks is a good idea. Along with following these tips, you’ll want to check your refrigerator and freezer to toss food that you can’t store well without energy before it goes bad. If you can afford it, consider buying an ice chest to store frozen and frozen goods. And if you have a grill, you have an outdoor cooking source that can use up meat and vegetables before they expire. If you can’t afford an ice chest, store meat, fruits and vegetables in coolers.
In addition, if you live in areas where long outages occur frequently, such as Houston, you should consider a home generator. Although they are expensive, they can also provide much-needed sanctuary when your home is running out of power and will be out for a long time.
5. Have other sources of light
Keep a flashlight in every room in your home. That way, when the power goes out, you’ll have light in every room. If you don’t want to pollute the batteries, consider options that have the ability to move. However, if you choose battery-powered flashlights, keep a fresh supply of batteries on hand.
Alternatively, you can use candles as light sources. Matchsticks or check your lighter to make sure it works and doesn’t need lighter fluid. Before lighting the candle, walk around your room and check for gas leaks (if applicable).
6. Install blackout curtains
Blackout curtains achieve several goals. They prevent light from entering your room by blocking UV rays and external light from other sources. They act as another layer of protection for rooms with blinds, where the gaps can allow light to shine through.
Since blackout curtains reflect heat, they will keep that part of your home cool during the summer darkness. If you have someone with a medical condition or who is sensitive to heat, you’ll want to put them in a room with blackout curtains during the blackout.
7. Wear cool clothes
If the power goes out, it won’t take long for your home to burn. Another way to combat heat is to wear cooling clothing, which sheds heat and promotes airflow, helping you stay comfortable in uncomfortable conditions.
In general, cooling clothes have three properties:
- Breathing things: By allowing more air flow, these materials prevent sweat from sticking to your skin, so you’ll cool down faster. You should avoid wearing woolen or polyester fabrics because they will make you look like a sweater.
- Moisture wicking capacity: When your body overheats, sweat is created to cool you down. However, if you’re wearing clothes that don’t cool, you won’t be comfortable because the fabric won’t wick moisture away from your skin. Cooling clothes achieve this by using hydrophobic fibers to repel sweat from your clothes and skin, allowing your body to cool down without feeling stressed.
- Temperature control: You will want to wear clothing that wicks sweat quickly, has high thermal conductivity and has thermal convection. When you wear something cooler, your body feels cooler as heat transfers from the warmer parts of your clothing to the cooler parts.
8. Keep devices charged with portable chargers
Having cell service is like physical activity for many of us. However, when the lights go out and you cannot access the power source, then anxiety can be caused. After all, you don’t want a dead phone battery preventing you from contacting friends and loved ones, and if you need them, emergency personnel.
That’s why you’ll want to have backup charging solutions ready to go. Power banks are a smart choice if you keep them charged before they run out. That way you can connect your smartphone and stay connected.
You can also buy battery-powered or manual phone chargers. With either option, you don’t have to worry about them being plugged in and powered on before powering off. Just make sure you have fresh batteries on hand for battery-operated options.
9. Watch for heat symptoms
During the hotter months, and especially when the summer darkness turns your A/C off, it’s important to know the signs of heatstroke. If you see someone start to feel confused or appear pale, you’ll want them to rest in a cool place, apply a cold pack or towel to their skin and call 9-1-1. You don’t want to give them water to drink, because they may become confused and not be able to swallow safely.
These are some heat symptoms to watch out for, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
- Unclear speech
- Loss of consciousness (coma)
- Hot, dry skin or excessive sweating
- Fainting
- Very high body temperature
Also, if you have elderly neighbors or those with mobility impairments, check on them regularly. Doing so can help you spot the signs of heatstroke and deal with the situation before it becomes more dangerous.