Category: Public Safety

By Sheila Ferguson

When winter’s cold and summer heat creeps in, power outages become a big worry. Power outages are when the electricity suddenly goes out. They come in different types: short ones called transient fault losses, dim ones called brownouts, and serious ones called blackouts which can last a long time and affect a large area.

Outages often happen due to inclement weather like storms, hurricanes, or snowstorms.  These days, they’re happening more because of climate change. They destroy homes, hospitals, and other important places, but there are things we can do to get ready for power outages and stay safe. “We were without power for two full days, it changed our life,” said Ray Nevell, a Cleveland resident. Inspired by this experience, Nevell invested in a gas generator and now keeps a storage area stocked with food, water, and gasoline for emergencies.

Sam Dickerson, who added a gas whole house generator, expressed concerns with his energy provider and the constant failure of their equipment, and its effect on his family’s safety. “I’d rather have what I need than to be caught without,” said Dickerson.

Additionally, Dickerson researched a neighborhood solar project and discovered that the city power service provider refused to meet with his group. It was determined that the service provider could not move forward with integrating a solar farm because of aging equipment and limited resources. Dickerson expressed, “Besides all that, safety was my concern.”

First, it’s good to know about your own needs during an outage. This means thinking about things like where you’d go if it’s not safe at home, what you’d do if you can’t use your fridge or your phone, and how you’d manage if you needed medical help.

It’s also smart to have friends or family you can count on and who may help you. It’s important to stay in touch with what’s happening around you by listening to the radio or having a way to charge your phone.

You can also prepare by learning some basic skills, like what to do in an emergency and how to use flashlights instead of candles. It’s good to have supplies like food, water, and medicine, in case you can’t get to a store.

During a blackout, it’s crucial to be careful and avoid dangers like downed power lines, and using things like gas stoves indoors. Once it’s over, it’s still important to be cautious and get help if necessary.

Together, we can get through power outages by being ready and looking out for each other. Stay safe out there!

References:
“Twin Calamities: How to Survive a Heat Wave When the Grid Goes Down”
Power outage – Wikipedia
Power Outages | Ready.gov
How to Prepare For Emergencies | Be Red Cross Ready | Red Cross
AIP Florida Tornado Safety
Homer Glen Emergency Safety Plan
Renu Solar Company
For more info and tips, you can check out the links provided.