With the cold weather of Thursday night looming in on the entirety of our listening area, it’s important to keep in mind a simple but important fact: power outages are possible during these times.
The threat of a power outage is no small matter when temperatures are below-freezing in nature, and while not uncommon, is not unheard of. With temperatures reaching possibly meeting -30 expectations, the concept should be taken seriously. Luckily, there are things you can do to take preventative care of your household and self.
Make sure you have an emergency kit at home. This should include first-aid equipment, heating pads, and mylar thermal blankets.
Winterize your home. There are many small things you can do to aid this: stuff towels or other cloth in the cracks of your doorways and windows, and make sure your blinds and curtains are closed.
Close the doors to unused rooms. In most peoples houses there are at least a small handful of rooms that aren’t used as often. Any room such as this that does not have water pipes should be closed off.
Protect your water pipes! In order to avoid pipes freezing and/or breaking, keep the pipes well-insulated and warm. In the event of a power outage however, your ability to do so will be limited. Let cold water drip from your sink. Even a trickle will keep the water moving and help to prevent freezing.
Don’t operate any fire or gas equipment such as ovens or grills indoors without proper ventilation. Carbon-monoxide poisoning is a very real danger, and without a proper system in place to vent the fumes, indoor heating could prove to be dangerous very quickly.
Stock your pantry! Making sure you’re well-fed will also make staying warm easier, and if the power is out for any length of time, you’ll want to make sure you have enough to get by.
Fill up any gas tanks you have. It never hurts to make sure you have a spare gas can to keep your car running in case you need to go somewhere.
Remember your pets and plants! Just because you’re used to animals and plants being more hardy in extreme weather, doesn’t mean they’re not exposed. Make sure they’re properly accounted for.
Keep a wireless radio handy. This isn’t just so you can listen to tunes on the Ozark Radio Network; a battery-operated device that will help keep you informed in case of a power outage is almost a necessity in an emergency situation.
Keep batteries and flashlights handy. Just as with keeping gas tanks handy, you never know what you’ll need in an emergency situation, and the batteries will sure come in handy for keeping your radio powered.
