Prepare in a Year 26: Energy

NewsReadiness
Written By Sarah Lane
portable solar array set up outside

A disaster almost always means a power outage as well. How will you power the essentials when the lights go out?

The Goal

The goal is to store equipment to power your basic needs during a long power outage. These needs include cooking, communicating, heating, cooling, lighting, bathing, and charging devices. They may include medical devices as well.

The Strategy

  • Analyze your household energy needs. What is essential? What can you do without for 30 days?

  • Make sure you have the following supplies:

    • Chargers for all devices

    • Outdoor grill or camp stove (outside use only)

    • Solar power bank

    • Solar and battery-powered lanterns

  • Learn how to turn off your utilities in an emergency.

Prizes

Have you finished the July task? Submit proof of your accomplishment and enter to win a prize.

Level Up

Was this task a breeze? Take it to the next level—Advanced or Pro. Read more here.

Team Player

Don’t go it alone. Work with your neighbors to power up your households. Can you operate your well on a generator? Might you be able to share a solar-charged power bank for device charging?

At your next Map Your Neighborhood meeting, make sure you all know how to turn off your utilities. Also create a utilities map showing where everyone’s utilities are located so, after an earthquake, for example, you can turn off propane.

Learn More

Read about PSE’s Wildfire Mitigation and Response Program and deliberate power outages here.

Read about emergency prep for people with disabilities and special needs including reliance on powered medical equipment here.

Read about supplies for power outages here.

Featured
Prepare in a Year 26: Energy
Prepare in a Year, energy, power
Prepare in a Year 26: Energy
Prepare in a Year, energy, power

A disaster almost always means a power outage as well. How will you power the essentials when the lights go out?

Prepare in a Year, energy, power
Prepare in a Year 26: Safety
Prepare in a Year, safety
Prepare in a Year 26: Safety
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Prepare in a Year 26: Transportation
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Prepare in a Year 26: Medical
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A disaster is likely to result in serious injuries, overwhelming the capacity of first responders. What will you be able to do to help your injured family members and neighbors?

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Fine-Tune Your Household Communications Plan
communications, Communications Plan, Prepare in a Year, Child Reunification, wildfire, earthquake, snow storm
Fine-Tune Your Household Communications Plan
communications, Communications Plan, Prepare in a Year, Child Reunification, wildfire, earthquake, snow storm

This month in our Prepare in a Year program, we’re focusing on communication: the technology and the plans required to keep you and your family connected. Take a few minutes in March to think through the following three potential scenarios.

communications, Communications Plan, Prepare in a Year, Child Reunification, wildfire, earthquake, snow storm
Prepare in a Year 26: Communications
Prepare in a Year, communications, BEARS, ham radio
Prepare in a Year 26: Communications
Prepare in a Year, communications, BEARS, ham radio

When a disaster occurs, the first thing people want to do is find out what happened, get a sense of what will happen, and make sure the people they care about are okay. This month we focus on communication.

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Sarah Lane https://bainbridgeprepares.org
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