Every year seems to herald a winter storm stronger than the last, disrupting travel plans and holidaymakers while cutting off power to many homes and impacting everyone’s daily lives. While monstrous storms can be unpredictable and can happen when you least expect them, there are several ways you and your family can begin to prepare for an emergency.
Rather than waiting for a storm, take action now to prepare and be ready for anything that may happen and affect your holiday plans. You can do this by making a disaster kit with essential provisions and medical supplies or by having a backup power source in the event of an ongoing power outage. Whatever the case, having some measures in place can allow you to weather any storm over the holiday. With that in mind, here are some ideas for your holiday emergency checklist.
Build a Basic Disaster Kit
First things first, build a basic disaster kit with some essential items in the event of an emergency. Before you buy a bunch of flashlights or local maps, the first things you need are food and water. You should aim to have a supply of non-perishable foods that is enough to last for several days – based on the number of people in your household – as well as one gallon of water per person to last even longer. After this, you can begin storing some flashlights, extra batteries, backup cellphone chargers, and any other essential survival items.
Store Medical and Hygiene Supplies
In addition to food and water, other essential items include medical and hygiene supplies. If you rely on any prescription medication, aim to store at least one week’s worth in reserve in addition to any other medicine or medical supplies you think are essential for your household. Additionally, you may want to keep some toilet paper, sanitizer, female hygiene supplies, and any other toiletries like toothpaste and soap on hand as well, as you never know when you may need them.
Good Household Supplies to Have
Once you have your essential emergency items ready, you can begin thinking of other household goods that may be handy in a pinch. Items like glow sticks, LED lanterns, plastic bags, disposable tableware, charcoal, and propane could prove helpful in several circumstances.
Although they may not be essential, they can still be of great use in an emergency, particularly when least expected. When thinking about what items could prove handy, consider the environment you live in and what household items may be helpful to have on standby.
Tools That Can Be Handy
While stocking up on provisions and supplies should be at the top of your priority, you should also include some basic tools in your emergency kit. Things like rope, work gloves, utility tape, power drills, hammers and nails, and N-95 masks could come in handy in various situations – giving you the means to do some heavy work cleaning out wreckage or repairing damage when necessary. Although it is hard to predict what kind of tools you may need, maintaining a basic toolbox of essential tools is a good starting point, to begin with.
Backup Power System
Finally, with the risk of power outages growing every year, investing in a backup power generator might be a good idea. Should the power go out, having a generator will allow you to keep the lights on and access the internet, giving you the means to stay connected to work, emergency services, and friends and family. Additionally, rental services are available to help if you are undecided about buying one but would like to have one for a pending storm.
Cooling Powers offers quality rental equipment and services for a variety of needs, from cooling systems to power generators and air purifiers. If you are looking to add a backup power source to your emergency kit, contact us today!