This is the third post in a series on prepping should you feel so inclined to do so for the present situation, or for future potential interruptions. The first post outlined the five inexpensive and versatile foods to stock first and the second post gave some tips on how to ensure easy access to fresh fruits and veggies during a crisis.
In this third post, I will discuss how to navigate power interruptions, whether they come about from natural or man-made reasons.
Many preppers recommend a generator. I do not. If you get one that connects directly to the natural gas line in your house, I would be more open to it. The portable generators that have been really heavily marketed the past few years, I would not suggest. They are very expensive, require maintenance every three months or so to keep the battery in a good state (minimal maintenance, but still one more thing to remember while keeping up a house), and they would be limited during any sort of long-term power outage. If you have made it this far without needing one for a short-term power outage, you probably don't need one now. For a long-term power outage, eventually it's going to be difficult to charge a portable generator. They require purchasing extension batteries (raising the cost even higher), utilizing solar panels (again most likely an additional expensive on top of the already expensive unit and somewhere like where I am in Minnesota the sun would not be sufficient), or being plugged into your car for two hours (gas is going to be in short supply if we are actually in a long term crisis so this is probably not going to be feasible to do for any length of time). When considering whether to buy a portable generator, think about how many times you anticipate needing to use the unit. Both the core battery and the extension batteries last ten years or less. Comparing the cost of the unit and any extension battery packs and solar attachments you might buy, is that upfront cost worth using the unit one time in ten years, two times, five times? Once the battery does go out, you guessed it...another expense. And, surprisingly (or maybe not surprising based on the frustrating regularity of planned obsolescence), some models do not have core batteries that can be replaced at all. So, after ten years you're either stuck starting over buying an entire new unit and all of the accessories. Or, in some cases, if it's an option for that particular model, paying a technician to switch the battery out with a newly bought battery.
So, you are better off focusing your efforts on learning how to navigate life without being able to use power. Sounds scary, and a little uncomfortable. But, if you practice your skills and go into a situation prepared for it, it will be a lot less so.
Heating and cooling a home without power is probably the issue most people would be thinking about solving initially. I can't help you with cooling your house, other than suggesting opening the windows and getting a good cross breeze ;) Heating a home without power is a little bit easier to solve, in most cases. If you have a fireplace, practice building a fire that lets off the maximum amount of heat. I have contacted a company that services chimney's so they can show me how to use the wood burning fireplace insert in the basement and am chopping and stacking firewood as trees fall so that firewood will be "seasoned" and ready to use. If you don't have a fireplace, there are many DIY videos out there to give you some ideas for creating spaces heaters, some elaborate and others using even just candles.
Cooking will be a labor of love if there are extended power outages. It will take much longer and most likely require tending a fire. So, get familiar with how to cook over an open fire and maybe grab a fondue pot if you see one at a thrift store that you can use to cook some things in when you're indoors. Instead of buying gadgets like solar ovens, which again rely on strong solar rays, you might consider investing in a butane camping stove. Ultimately though, the best option is probably to be amping up your skills in fire building and getting used to cooking recipes over the open fire. Fire wood is plentiful and while you can buy grates and tripods to expand your campfire setup, much of what you need you can just scrounge around your house and garage for. You can even bake bread and desserts over a fire!
Charging a phone would be viable for short periods using power banks or plugging it into a car charger. Long term, or if the communication network completely went down, phones would be useless. Consider getting up to speed on the meshtastic network for communicating. The units are powered by just small batteries and don't utilize any sort of cell network to operate.
Related to the above, if communication goes down, radio communication will also be important. Many people race to get crank radios. In my research, I found the majority of them to not be so beneficial. It takes a lot of hand cranking to get limited power. The hand cranks on them do not look sturdy enough to last through prolonged use. And, cranking every half hour is not what you'll want to be doing while you're trying to juggle all the other tasks like finding water and cooking food over a fire. Instead, I bought a vintage 80's alarm clock radio from a thrift store for $1.50, which can be run on batteries if power is out.
Most likely, we would adjust to doing our daily activities during daylight. Yet, I did purchase an Energizer lantern. The handle will make it easy to carry outside if needed.
Many people aren't aware that even if they have a well they will not have water if there is no power. You could consider having a well drilled that has a hand pump. More realistically, though, purchase an inexpensive water filter or a more expensive countertop version for drinking and cooking. Keep your eye out while thrifting or garage saling for one of those orange sports jugs with spigot, which would be useful for hand washing. And, think about getting two five gallon bucket toilets with pine pet bedding. You can also buy just the seats to pair with your own five gallon buckets.
Hope this gave you some further direction on your prepping journey. Stay tuned for upcoming posts food storage, optional sustenance and supplies to layer on, gardening, foraging, and even some simple recipes to have handy in your toolkit!
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