Hello World! Welcome Friends! Natural disasters keep on getting worse, and it’s worrying for homeowners. One minute you’re minding your business and the next a wildfire is sweeping through your property. And, you can substitute fire for flooding, hurricanes, storms, and anything else that Mother Nature can throw your way.
Defending your property is essential, so you should take a look at this The Dedicated House post if you’re searching for inspiration. However, sometimes there is nothing you can do but sit around and wait for Ms. Nature to do Her thing.
In this scenario, you require a few supplies as you never know how long you’ll have to spend hunkered down. It could be a few hours, but it might be a couple of days. It’s best to prepare for the worst so that you’re never caught out when disaster does strike.
With that in mind, it’s about time you created a blackout emergency kit. After all, you can leave it for months, even years, and it should still be fine to use, minus changing one or two batteries. As technology has evolved in recent years, so has what you can put in your kit. Here are the things to look out for to ensure you’re safe and comfortable.
Propane
A canister of propane isn’t the first thing you will think of when you hear the term, “emergency kit”. But, it should be at the very top of your to-do list since a lot of your home relies on fuel. For example, you can top-up the gas supply to your oven. As a result, cooking shouldn’t be overly difficult.
Also, household features such as gas fire are powered by propane fuel. Therefore, a few bottles will keep you warm and well-fed, two imperative elements of remaining secure during an emergency. The only issue you will face is where to buy it from, and how to keep your stocks high.
Annapolis Propane kills both of these birds with one stone. Not only does the company specialize in propane, as the name suggests, but it runs an automatic delivery service. This means that the business keeps an eye on your levels and replaces them when they reach a certain level.
Therefore, you should never have to worry about whether your fuel resources are dwindling, which means you will never find yourself in a sticky situation when a disaster hits. Without some sort of gas, a blackout is rough.
A Portable Power Station
Decades ago, the most you could wish for from your emergency kit were candles and packs of batteries. Today, the latest releases allow you to live in relative comfort, or as close to it as possible. A portable power station won’t create enough juice to run your home as usual, yet it will keep some of the essentials working, such as your microwave.
If you want to charge bigger appliances, you’ll need a significantly larger generator, and they cost a considerable sum. However, a mini version, like this all-in-one Yeti 150 by Goal Zero, will let you power-up your devices. So, that means your phones, tablets, and laptops. This might not seem like a lot, but at least you can keep up-to-date with the news while relieving boredom.
Just remember to keep it charged at all times. Otherwise, it will be useful when there is no electricity from the mains. The good news is, you can connect it to a regular plug socket to give it a boost.
An alternative to a generator is a solar panel. As batteries eventually lose power, you require something more substantial and long-lasting, the Switch 10 multi-kit from Goal Zero is a survivalist’s dream. Leave it in a sunny place and you’ll get hours of electricity.
Food & Water
There’s a chance that your waterline will be disrupted during an emergency, depending on the severity of the situation. And, if your electricity and gas lines are knocked off, then you will be without food and water. Even a couple of hours without a drink isn’t very nice, or healthy, so it’s vital to stock up on the fundamentals.
Water-wise, you only need as many bottles as you can store. These don’t have to be in the kit – you can keep them anywhere – yet they should be handy as you never know where you’ll be when a natural disaster strikes.
Food is a little harder because you can’t keep it cool or warm it up before eating. As always, tinned goods are excellent since they keep for years before going bad. Also, don’t forget about small snacks that will enhance your energy levels, such as pre-workout bars, nuts, and dried fruit.
A tool to open the packaging could be necessary, which is why a can opener is a solid choice. But, a Swiss Army knife is smarter as it has numerous uses. According to The BBC, people have used it to saw through wood, so opening bottles and tins shouldn’t be too hard!
Basic Entertainment
We are pretty much addicted to our mobile devices. At least, that’s what the screen time stats highlight, with Forbes reporting that adults in the US spend as many as twelve hours in front of a screen. The health impacts aside, this means you’ll get bored quickly during a blackout, especially when your phone dies.
If you think you’re bad, wait until your kids jump on the bandwagon. In short, you need a basic form of entertainment that will keep you occupied for a couple of hours. It can’t be electronic because it won’t last, so it has to be renewable.
When in doubt, stick with a tried and tested method of playing cards. Yes, a pack of cards is simple, yet it’s effective as you can play a variety of games, from poker to blackjack and solitaire. You can even research new games to play and place the instructions in your kit so that you don’t forget.
Board games will come in handy, too, such as Monopoly, Uno, and anything else that’s lying around the house.
Takeaway
Disasters hit in the blink of an eye. Therefore, you must be prepared, and an emergency kit is an ideal solution.
Click the links below for any posts you have missed:
4 Problems to Look for In Your New Old Home
Intelligent Design of Modern Schools
8 Ways to Improve Your Wellbeing
Favorites & Highlights – Top Posts of 2020
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Toodles,
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