Preparing for the day when access to the comforts of the microwave and the oven are no longer available could make the difference for the safety of your family during an extended power outage or blackout.
Make your own plans to have access to food, water and other necessities for you and your family if your electric power is no longer available.
Our massive infrastructure feeds power to millions of homes throughout the country, but there are many reasons to prepare for the day when this power grid may not function due to natural or man-made reasons.
In the summer of 2003, the largest blackout to ever happen in our country engulfed the entire Northeast.
States including Michigan, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Vermont, Massachusetts and Connecticut were without power for an extended period of time.
This massive power failure affected urban and rural areas alike.
Millions were without electrical power for days and a run on the local home improvement stores for gas powered generators kicked in as the panic and reality of no power began to set in.
Planning now for that day could be the difference in making your family more comfortable for the long haul if power is not available for an extended period of time.
Of course your refrigerator and freezer will be the first things to be affected without power keeping your food cold.
Having the standard thermal coolers available in your basement or shed should be one of the items to keep in your survival space.
This will help keep food cold and insulated so that it will last longer and kept from spoiling.
Having the right food during a power outage should be part of your survival strategy.
Can goods are the obvious choice to keep in your food pantry, but storing grains like rice or cornmeal in plastic 5 gallon containers may be something to consider as well.
These grains can easily be part of your meal planning during a power outage.
Do not forget to keep a manual can opener in your survival space.
You may be thinking about how these food staples can be prepared if you do not have an oven or stove.
Your gas or charcoal grill is a great tool that can be used as a backup oven and stove when needed.
Even though most people see a grill for backyard functions, most people have at least one in their backyard that can be used when needed while the oven and stove are out of commission.
Your gas or charcoal grill can act as a temporary oven for baking breads and other meals during the period where the home power is disabled.
Having spare propane or charcoal on hand is essential in being able to cook your food during this period.
In summary, it is important to think through and make your own plans to sustain a way for your family to be prepared during an extended blackout.
These tips will helpfully spur some thought in the reader to plan and a way to provide for their family if their home is no longer able to operate due to an extended power outage.