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It was November 22, 2010. Bainbridge Island, Washington. I had come home from college for Thanksgiving and I remember the weather was disastrous. I spent 6, white-knuckle hours inching my Oldsmobile through 2 miles of icy roads, trying not to run out of gas. Cars were sliding towards the guardrails left and right. I narrowly missed hitting a semi truck. My car was on fumes. I had never been so scared while driving.
Fast forward a few hours, returned home safely, but the power was out. Cold wind and snow ripped through the island. Luckily my mom keeps a supply of candles on hand. We played games, and sat by the gas fireplace/cook stove that my dad recently added to the house. We were so grateful for the heat! That night, we slept in sleeping bags, down comforters and ski jackets, all in the same room, as the temperatures dipped down into the teens. The next day the power wasn't on, so we went outside to survey the damage.
Have you ever been in a situation like this? I have. Weather it was typhoons in Hawaii, flash floods in Utah, earthquakes in California, or hail storms in Colorado, I have seen stuff happen. We always think we won't need things "in case of an emergency," but somehow emergencies tend to sneak up on us. Luckily my parents were prepared in this situation so we hunkered down for three days until the power came on, however others weren't so lucky. Being prepared isn't too hard, it just takes some planning.
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| Playing board games during the power outage. |
Store water. Our pipes didn't freeze, but the electric pump to the well was shut off, so there was no running water. We were able to melt snow (and boil it), but it was tedious and used up our propane. We had a few water bottles on hand, but more water would have been so helpful. Fortunately, water is cheap and easy to store.
Always have a backup source of light We were so grateful my mom bought so many scented candles when the power went out. Some were very small, but they were definitely better than nothing. We used them as much as we could, however, we still had to be conservative with our use. We didn't know how long the power would be out for. To save energy, we also went to bed early.
Paper plates are your friend
When there is no running water, dirty dishes can easily turn into a mountain. My mom always kept a stash of paper goods on hand, so we were set. When we were done, we could just toss it in the fire. Speaking of fire, having backup heat/wood is essential in cold climates. Just in that weekend, over 34 tons of wood stove pellets were sold, in addition to hundreds of gallons of propane. We were fortunate and had a gas powered fireplace stove, in addition to an old fashioned wood fireplace, for warmth and cooking, so we didn't have to go anywhere for supplies.
Keep some non perishable food on hand
We were fortunate to have cold weather outside, so we put our perishable food in a large Tupperware container and kept it on the back porch to keep cool. We also ate cans of Spaghettios and baked beans warmed over the fire, just because they were simple to prepare, and didn't require a lot of dishes. In any weather situation, keeping some canned goods on hand is always a great idea.
Bundle up The Northwest isn't a harsh climate, but it can get cold. I was so grateful for the down blankets and sleeping bags we had, in addition to my heavy duty snow boots, wool socks, and ski jacket. I wore these items non-stop for three days. If you live in a colder climate, consider how much warmth you would have if there was no power. Just a note, although down comforters may be expensive up front, they can also help you reduce energy bills in the long run. My husband and I use a large down comforter during the winters of Provo so we don't have to turn our heat up at night. Also, good old-fashioned hot water bottles do wonders for cold feet.
Have some games/activities
My younger siblings thought the power outage was fun for the first day, because they could go sledding. However, as the days continued, boredom set in. Playing games for hours in a cold house didn't seem very appealing after awhile. I would suggest other alternatives (in addition to board games) so young children can keep themselves entertained during power outages.
Buy these! With no running water, or even if water is running but ice cold, alternative showers are a must. Wiping off with baby wipes makes you feel cleaner, especially if you don't have access to a shower. Baby powder is great for oily hair, just put a little on the hairbrush before running it through your hair several times.
If you plan on going anywhere after a storm, you won't go fast.
Because of icy roads and debris everywhere, getting to a destination, even a grocery store or gas station could take hours. Also, if the power is out these stores will only take cash while supplies last.
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| Fallen trees |
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Abandoned cars. It is estimated over 100 cars were abandoned or stuck in ditches along this road.
Overall, living for three days without power was not a traumatizing experience. I did learn a lot however, you never know when you will need to be prepared. |
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