How To Live When Power Is Out

At first all that sets in is panic... but don't let it get ahold of you. You have to relax yourself so you can think. There are several things you need to do at this point. You need to sit down and and write a list of what you have and what you don't have. The refriderator and freezer won't be working, so number one priority is going to be saving the food. You have a couple of options there. If you have coolers you can use them for the refriderated food. For the freezer food you need to put bags of ice in the freezer right away, it won't keep the food frozen but it will keep it cold and delay the defrost process. If it is winter outside you can keep your frozen food in a plastic container outside. For the refriderated food if you don't have a cooler you can buy a couple of those styraphome coolers and keep the food in there with ice. You learn to only buy what you need for that day. Pain in the ass, but at least the stores can keep it fresh for you, so to speak.

Your going to need to fix the light situation for yourself at night. Dont use candles as they are unsafe and if you fall asleep with one burning, you can burn the house down. You can do it a little at a time so it's not costing you an arm and leg. If you have camping equipment it isn't so bad. Do this, go to Lowes, or Wallmart or Home Depot. The best thing to get is a battery operated lantern. Get one for each room. Also invest in solar lamps for the outside, and bring them in at night and they will stay lit the whole night. Put one in the bathroom at night so the room can be navigated through. You could also do this if you have electric so you can cut down on your electric costs.

It is very important to keep the house clean and tidy. If you have no lights, it is easier on everyone if the house is clean. The environment is going to be very important. There is no tv, no radio unless you have a battery powered radio. You can get a power inverter for your car and run a line to the house to light a lamp or watch movies on a small tv that does not take much amperage, but that is not practical, much better to entertain the kids with going for a walk to a park or fishing or playing outside until the sun goes down.

If you have gas, get a large pot. There will be no hot water, so you will have to heat it up. You fill the pot half way with water, heat it and add cold water. You have just created wash water.

the other thing you could do is run water in the pot in the morning if it is summer and set it in the sun all day and at its hottest use it for wash water.

It is very important for the kids and the family, not to dwell on the situation but to make the best out of it, for if you are depressed everyone else will be too. Keep a positive outlook and you will manifest a positive outcome.

One of the things that is great to get is a 25.00 carpet cleaner. it works wonders when the carpet is cleaned and the tables and everything around you is clean. Big difference in attitude and there is even a sense of freedom when you feel what you can control you do. It sort of feels like you are not responsible to JCP&L.

You keep the outside of your house clean and well manicured. For one thing it gives you something to do and it keeps your mind off of the problem of not having electric.

Try to make it like you are camping. Fire pit at night to roast marshmellows, fishing and the like to pass the time, go swimming at the beach, try to keep from doing the things that you are used to doing if indeed you are hanging in the house all the time zoning out from your family.. lol. The power will come on again eventually.

So if you ever experience a power outage for a long period of time, follow some of these steps to make it easier.

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