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Wildfires are terrifying natural disasters, and infrastructure problems like power outages exasperate them. You must prepare as best you can to ensure that you and your family are as safe as possible during either of these experiences.
Please read on to find out how best to prepare for power outages during natural disasters like Wildfires sweeping through California.
Create a Survival Kit For All the Basics (Home)
More often than not, a power outage will only last a couple of hours, but it is rarely so simple when it comes to natural disasters, such as Wildfires. It’s not just a case of wildfires causing more damage; thus, it takes longer to resolve. Wildfires are also a threat to human life and human life because of the priority of power outages. Therefore, when resources are few, it’s important to remember that you may be without power for days.
You must create a survival kit with all the basics needed during a power outage. Remember that outages during the day will present different challenges to those at night, and some challenges will apply in both. That’s why you must consider all the circumstances when forming your kit. Your Survival Kit needs to include:
- Plenty of blankets and warm clothes – you must stay warm, day or night.
- A first aid kit is always necessary for any emergency – ensure it’s fully stocked, as more accidents can happen in unfamiliar circumstances.
- Torches and plenty of batteries—remember that it will be harder to see at night, and you don’t want your torches to run out of power after an evening of use.
- A collection of food and drink that doesn’t require a fridge or freezer to cook – think bread, chips, crackers, granola bars, cookies, nuts, fresh or dried fruit. It’s always best to have more than you think you’ll need as large areas could be affected by power outages, so shopping for more food at the last minute could prove an issue, especially in hazardous environments like Wildfires.
Make a Survival Kit For Evacuation
In the case of Wildfires, many thousands of people may need to be evacuated, and it’s essential to prepare for the situation that you may need to evacuate during a power outage. It can be extremely dangerous, especially at night. So you mustn’t panic. Instead, take your at-home survival kit with you.
It’s also important to consider what you want or need to take. It’s best not to leave packing the essentials until the last minute as you may not have time. With people having died during the latest wildfires and others still missing, belongings and materialistic objects suddenly seem to hold less worth; however, that doesn’t mean your treasured belongings are worthless. So consider knowing and packing these items before the call to evacuate comes, as doing this in the dark could be more stressful and upsetting.
Switch Off Electrical Appliances When Not In Use
If you still have power, you must always turn off every item once you’ve finished using it. It’s never wholly predictable when a power cut will hit, so should you have many items “in use” when the power returns, these items could all turn on and be a hazard to yourself or your home.
Keep Some Hot Water Handy
If you know that a power outage could be coming, keeping some hot water in a flask warm can be helpful. While it’s not an absolute necessity, it can help keep things clean should you need it. Many events can occur during a power outage, especially if you have small children or animals requiring a little hot water to help with injuries or cleaning.
If You WFH, Prepare Your Office
You must continuously save your work if you work from home (WFH). When there’s a power outage, and in the extreme cases of Wildfires, you never know when you’ll need to pack up and leave. Likewise, if your battery runs out on computers or laptops, and you haven’t saved your work, you risk losing it all. So, always be extra vigilant.
A generator or power battery that constantly stores energy will be a tremendous asset in these circumstances. You can keep working or fully charged devices, such as your phone.
Think About Your Phone Plan
If you rely on wifi to use your phone and keep up-to-date with the latest news, then it would be wise to reconsider your phone plan if you’re at risk of losing power. After all, in exceptional circumstances like Wildfires, it’s crucial to have access to the latest news and to be able to reach loved ones as soon as possible.
Keep Your Car Filled With Gas
You never know when you might suffer from a power outage or have to evacuate, so you must keep your car filled with gas so you never have to do this last minute. Remember, driving during a blackout is dangerous enough without the added stress of needing to find a gas station on top of it all.
Update Welfare Teams
It isn’t only natural disasters like Wildfires that cause power outages, so don’t be alarmed if one does happen to you; there are many common causes. However, you must contact local welfare teams if you have a power outage during a Wildfire and need extra assistance. Ideally, if you or your family would need additional support during an evacuation or getting the necessary supplies you need, then enlisting the help of welfare teams is crucial.
In a worst-case scenario, it’s essential never to be afraid to ask for help; whether from friends, family, or colleagues, it doesn’t matter. As long as you have the necessary preparations, you must put your safety first.
Final Thoughts
Wildfires are a scary and upsetting natural disaster affecting thousands of people. These wildfires often cause other infrastructure problems, such as power outages, which add to the stress and distress of people’s circumstances.
That’s why it’s crucial that should you live in a power outage or wildfire-prone area like California, you prepare the best you can. Don’t put off until tomorrow what can be done today.