Photo by Sole Gomez
An unforeseen emergency taught me a hard fact- in a crisis, you are pretty much on your own for a much longer time than you’d ever expect. So it matters greatly to have a few precautions ready in case the unexpected happens. Being well-prepared could mean the difference between maintaining some level of comfort, or in a truly serious emergency, survival. This is especially true for the more vulnerable members in the population- the isolated, children, those with health or mobility issues, or sometimes older adults like me.
I recently experienced a power outage in my neighborhood. At first, that doesn’t sound like an extreme emergency. But this complete power outage dragged on for 35 long miserable hours. It also unfortunately happened during a record-breaking heat wave, with humidity levels that are usually experienced in New Orleans, LA or Tampa, FL- not in mild Southern California. The first day was the worst- with temperatures that rose to 105 degrees with high humidity. My house remained at 92 degrees all day, into a still breezeless evening, where the temperature then “dropped” to 91 degrees.
So Much for Plan A
It was so oppressively hot, keeping hydrated and cool became imperative. I heard my neighbors’ kids escape to the complex pool, but at several blocks away, the pool was not an appealing walk for me. At one point, at the peak of the day’s heat, I resorted to reading a book by flashlight in a cool bath instead.
No air conditioning. No fans, lights, computer, or TV. No refrigerator, since I wanted to keep it closed up. (An unopened full freezer will last 48 hours without power, an unopened fridge alas keeps perishables like eggs or milk only about 4 hours). My gas stovetop worked only if hand-lit, the gas oven not at all. I had a radio, sort of- a battery-operated one and a tedious hand-cranked one- but I kept rejecting both, anticipating that the power would be restored soon.
Even escaping in my car was complicated. The electric garage door opener was non-operative of course. And the manual override worked only to a point- since lifting up the heavy garage door was a struggle for me by myself. I discovered as well that the garage door inconveniently had no handles inside or outside to help lift it easily. Plus the garage door wouldn’t stay up by itself- it had to be propped open to back the car out. Or else some kind neighbor had to be recruited to hold the door up so I could back the car out.
My cell phone got very low, and I managed to recharge it using my car charger (to finally drive someplace cool for a break). But driving may not always be an option if you are truly isolated in earthquake or storm prone areas where roads might be damaged or flooded. That made me realize how important some form of backup power can be. A portable power bank, battery backup station or a generator can help keep your cell phone and other essential devices going when the power is down.
My rarely-used land line—yes, some people still keep land lines as an emergency back up— was also a handy resource to keep from using up all the precious charge in my cell phone. Of course there is one funny flaw in keeping a landline for emergencies. Almost everyone has a cell phone, so if all the cell phones aren’t working, exactly who can I call with my landline? But in this instance, my dinosaur-of-a-landline worked for me.
Nothing Says Prepared Like a Dead Flashlight
I also discovered that some of my flashlights set aside for emergencies had run-down or corroded batteries- though thankfully I had plenty of backup batteries on hand. My wall-charged flashlight turned out to be my best option of all. Some cheap Dollar Tree lanterns and round press on lights were also reliable light sources. I even repurposed solar lights from my garden to illuminate pathways inside my house in the dark, setting them about like nightlights. This helped me avoid tripping over the cat, who was nervously glued to my every step, poor thing.
Kind neighbors were the bright spot during my emergency. They offered help and practical suggestions about how to deal with warming refrigerator and freezer items. In addition to the emotional support, they provided eye-rolling commiseration over the power company, whose restoration times became a frustrating, ever-moving target, pushing further back every few hours.
My biggest takeaway from my power breakdown is this stark reality: YOU MUST BE PREPARED TO BE ON YOUR OWN FOR AT LEAST THREE DAYS. Emergency responders and other resources in any emergency are likely to be overwhelmed, and you cannot depend on immediate help. There can be a disruption of utilities, communications, and roads. Your particular crisis situation could leave you isolated, with no family or neighbors nearby to help. FEMA/ready.gov states that a person must be able to shelter in place with no outside assistance for the minimum time of three days. After experiencing 35 hours with no power, three days of it sounds like hell. My ordeal was an endless fever dream that I do not want to repeat any time soon. And my situation was no where near as desperate as what people can experience during an earthquake, flood, or major storm, when serious destruction and injuries are added to any loss of power and basic services.
The Bare-Bones Plan: Since “It’ll Be Fine” Isn’t a Plan
So my thinking about emergency preparedness has radically changed after my own eye-opening experience. As a result, here’s a brief list of the bare-bones emergency necessities you should have on hand to be prepared for the unexpected:
- WATER– You need 1 gallon per person per day, for drinking and some sanitation.
- FOOD– You want items that don’t need refrigeration or cooking (think crackers, snacks, peanut butter, protein bars, shelf stable milk + cereal, dried nuts and fruit, applesauce, and canned goods like tuna, salmon, or peaches. Don’t forget a manual can opener!
- FLASHLIGHTS+ EXTRA BATTERIES– Make these easy to find in the dark.
- PHONE & CHARGING CAPABILITY
- MEDICATIONS, GLASSES, CONTACT SUPPLIES
- FIRST AID SUPPLIES
- BATTERY POWERED OR HAND-CRANK RADIO– You want ways to keep informed whenever normal communications are unavailable.
- BASIC SANITATION– Be ready with toilet paper, wet wipes, hand sanitizer, even garbage bags (useful for an improvised toilet).
- CASH– Keep some cash money ready, especially smaller bills, because ATMs and credit-card readers may not be working.
- PET SUPPLIES/ANY MEDS
- KEEP A FULL GAS TANK– You may want your car for transportation, cooling off, charging devices, or getting supplies.
Thirty-five hours without power taught me that emergency preparedness isn’t necessarily preparing for some dramatic disaster- it can simply mean being prepared for when the lights go out- and don’t turn back on.
