Surviving without Power
Taught by Shalyse Clayton - E-mail me at
shalyse.clayton@gmail.com with any questions or SelfReliance2014.blogspot.com.
SHELTER/WARMTH
Photo Source: http://www.ase.org/blog/top-5-ways-keep-warm-and-save-energy-winter
WINTER:
·
Begin by conserving
body heat by putting on extra clothing. Your bed may be the warmest place
in the house. Use extra blankets and covers to trap body heat; this is an especially
good way to keep children warm. Cover
any drafty doors/windows. Stay in a
room with inside walls, if possible. Outside walls are colder in the
winter. Play games or read a book together as a family. Eating food can also
help you stay warm.
·
Find or
improvise an alternative heat source: Your possibilities may include a
fireplace (electric ones can sometimes be click started from underneath
manually, even when the power is out), space heater, catalytic camp stove,
wood, gas or oil heater, or a gas-fired hot water heater...While the chances of freezing to death in your home are small, there is
a greater danger of death by fire, lack of oxygen or carbon monoxide poisoning.
Safety is of extreme importance in heating emergencies. Follow these
precautions: Do not burn anything larger
than a candle inside your home without providing adequate ventilation to the
outside. Any type of heater (except electric) should be vented. You can
also cross-ventilate by opening a window an inch on each side of the room. It
is better to let in some cold air than to run the risk of CO poisoning. Do NOT use a gas or electric oven or
surface units for heating. Do not use charcoal inside, even in a fireplace.
One person should ALWAYS stay awake to
watch for a fire and to make sure ventilation is adequate. Keep a fire
extinguisher on hand nearby, just in case. Lots
more info on this post, so check it out (link is above). (*I have and recommend a Mr. Buddy or Mr. Big
Buddy heater - ~$100 + propane with hose to connect. Can be found on Amazon
or at Walmart.)
·
What to
Do If the Power Goes Out in the Winter - Great step-by-step to print out
now - http://www.consumerenergycenter.org/tips/winter_lightsout.html
·
How Will
You Stay Warm Safely If The Power Goes Out? - http://selfreliance2014.blogspot.com/2014/12/how-will-you-stay-warm-safely-if-power.html
·
6
Emergency Essentials for Surviving 72 Hours Without Power - http://inhabitat.com/6-emergency-essentials-for-surviving-72-hours-without-power/snowed-under/
1.) Shelter 2.) Heat to
cook/warm with 3.) Water 4.) List of everything if you need to grab it
and go
5.) An assembled preparedness kit including some comfort
items 6.) An easy to find 1st Aid kit.
SUMMER:
1. 50 Tips to Keep Cool When the Power is Out -
http://foodstoragemadeeasy.net/2014/07/08/50-tips-to-keep-cool/
- *Print out now
WATER
Photo Source: http://blog.emergencyoutdoors.com/water-storage-the-basics-to-storing-water-part-ii/
·
Store a 2
week’s supply of water (1 gallon per person per day). Buy 55 gallon
barrels, get several 5-6 gallon jugs, or fill up empty soda/juice bottles. Make
sure it is food grade plastic, but not milk jugs as they deteriorate too
quickly! http://foodstoragemadeeasy.net/babysteps/step-2-water/
·
Water Saving Tips - *Print out now - When you lose your water supply, you quickly assess
what water needs are most important. First off, it’s important to have drinking
water. After that, cooking probably takes a close second. Laundry and personal
hygiene can take the back burner for a few days, but after that – you need to
start figuring out how to make the most out of your stored water.
http://foodstoragemadeeasy.net/2010/10/04/water-saving-tips/
·
Have some flats
of water bottles on hand that are easy to grab and put in your trunk or
shove in a backpack.
·
You can also rinse out and refill 2-liter soda bottles with water. Rotate water in
soda bottles every 6 months. You can recycle the water by watering your
garden/house plants/etc.
·
55 Gallon
drums filled with water - If you put some bleach in it, you won't have to
refill for a few years for drinking.
·
Rain Barrels
- Pickle barrels on Craigslist (cheap), turn into a rain barrel and have water
for garden, flush toilets , etc.
·
Have
something to filter/purify/clean water for when you run out of everything else.
I have and recommend the Sawyer Mini and Sawyer 2-Bag Water Filtration Systems
on Amazon. Cheap coffee filters work great as a first filter for dirt, twigs,
etc. There are bleach tablets, iodine, and other things. You can get a WAPI here: http://www.amazon.com/Sunflair-Water-Pasteurization-Indicator-WAPI/dp/B00F7104EY. This water pasteurization indicator (WAPI) tells you when your water is safe to drink. Suspend the WAPI, wax end up, in a container of water and place in the SUNFLAIR solar oven. The wax inside melts at water pasteurization temperature (149 F). When the wax has melted down to the bottom of the tube, the water is safe to drink. Flip it over and reuse again and again. Ideal for campfires, stove tops, and other methods too!
Photo Source: http://www.theprepperjournal.com/2013/09/21/food-storage-knowing-important-buying-something-new/
The Power is Out:
Cooking with No Electricity - http://selfreliance2014.blogspot.com/2014/11/3b-power-is-out-cooking-with-no.html
·
No-Cook
foods - See what you have in your kitchen and pantry. You should always
have plenty of food you can eat without having to cook: fruit, cereal, nuts,
bread, veggies, crackers, chips, cheese, canned tuna, canned fruit/veggies,
dried fruit, sprouts, etc. (Make sure you have at least one extra hand can
opener.)
·
Freeze
Dried Meals and Dehydrated Meals (easy and quick to prepare) - These need
some heating and minimal cooking (ex. Thrive Express meals - http://sclayton.thrivelife.com/parties/index/cms/id/thrive_express/,
Mountain House Meals, other food storage company meals, or try and make your
own to save money.)
·
Meal in a
Bag - Everything you need for one meal in one bag. See the It's In the
Bag book or Google for ideas.
·
Alternative
cooking fuels - Most are not safe to be used inside your home (BBQ grill,
camp stove and propane or butane, etc.). Chafing fuel/Sterno canisters are safe
to use indoors to cook.
·
Fuel
Efficient Cooking - Solar ovens (can make a cheap one from a car windshield
reflector, make one from a box, or buy a fancier one (price range $100-400),
Wonder Oven, Thermos (bring to boil, then finish cooking over time), Rocket
Stove, Sterno/Chafing Fuel canisters (use for reheating or very quick cooking),
Tuna can with homemade fuel, Wood, Pellet Stove, BBQ Grill, Box Oven, Dutch
Oven.
· I would recommend having paper plates/cups/silverware/bowls so you don't have to wash dishes that would use up your water storage quickly. Have at least a week or more worth on hand. On another note, make sure you have a few weeks of pet food too!
LIGHT
Photo Source: http://wallpapershddesktop.com/wallpaper/archives/534/lantern-wallpaper-ikea-flashlight-candle-light-window-evening-night-bokeh-lights
·
Flashlights or
battery-operated lanterns w/ lots of extra batteries
·
Wind-up
Flashlights, radios, and other things - Many require no batteries. Some can even
charge elec. devices.
·
*Luci
Inflatable Solar Lantern - $12-14.95 on Amazon - http://selfreliance2014.blogspot.com/2014/12/product-recommendation-luci-inflatable.html
·
Oil lanterns
·
Candles - Fire hazard,
but an option. Also look into 100 Hour Emergency Candles (liquid) ~$3-4/each;
you can get a plastic wind screen to fit on top.
·
Open your drapes during the day for natural light and to warm the
house a little.
COMFORT
ITEMS
Photo Source: http://www.abowlfulloflemons.net/2013/02/emergency-preparedness-week-8-the-reveal-link-party.html
These
are important too!
·
Chocolate, candies, snacks for little ones and pets too.
·
Board Games/Card Games, Sudoku/Word Find/Crossword Books &
Books to read to help pass the time.
·
For Kids: Colored pencils, crayons, coloring book, play dough,
matching game, little toys, pacifier, small blanket, etc.
RESOURCES
AND BOOKS I RECOMMEND
Great Food
Storage/Emergency Preparedness Websites:
·
FoodStorageMadeEasy.net - sign-up for their Free Emergency
Checklists (e-mailed every 2 weeks) to get started.
·
EveryDayFoodStorage.net - so many great recipes on her website and
in her cookbook below
Great Food
Storage Cookbooks/Resource Books:
·
I Can't Believe It's Food Storage: A Simple Step-By-Step Plan forUsing Food Storage To Create Delicious Meals
by: Crystal Godfrey
·
It's In The Bag: A New, Easy, Affordable, and Doable Approach toFood Storage
by: Michelle & Trent Snow
· *Start your own binder with printed food storage recipes your
family likes or wants to try. On the computer or internet is of no use with no
electricity.
·
It's Time To Plan Not Panic: Emergency Evacuation Preparedness andCoping Skills
by: Barbara Salsbury
No comments:
Post a Comment