Picture this: You’re relaxing indoors due to the heavy rain outside. Then you see a quick flash of light and hear BOOM! You have a thunderstorm on your hands.
They usually aren’t that bad, but this thunderstorm knocked out your power. That’s never happened before.
So now what? Protecting your family is your main priority. But, you don’t know what you should do.
Don’t worry. In this article, we’ll give you five thunderstorm safety directions to help you survive a power outage during a thunderstorm.
Table of Contents
1. Record Important Information
During power outages, you’ll need to keep your phone charged if there are any emergencies. But you can’t entirely depend on your phone’s battery.
While you have time, write down essential information such as:
- Local hospital information
- Location of public places that may still have power
- Important phone numbers
Once you get the information from your phone, put it into airplane mode to preserve the battery. If you’re wondering how to charge your phone with no power, you can use your car’s USB outlets.
2. Make Sure You Have Adequate Water
During power outages, the municipal water supply may run out shortly after. Your water heater has about 40 gallons of water in it, but you don’t know how long the outage will last.
You’ll need to make sure there’s plenty of water to drink, wash, and flush the toilet. Fill your bathtub and sinks with extra water. Use buckets to help regulate how much water you use.
3. Safely Use Your Generator
If you have a generator, use it outside of your home. Generators create carbon monoxide.
It can be deadly if you’re exposed to high concentrations of it. It’s an odorless and colorless gas, so you wouldn’t know if you were inhaling it.
Don’t have the generator exhaust point towards you’re home’s windows. Also, ensure that it’s as far away from your home as possible.
4. Unplug Your Appliances
Unplug your appliances If you don’t have a generator. If you leave them plugged in during power outages, they can suffer damage when the power comes back on.
Leaving appliances plugged in during power outages increases the risk of fire in your home. When the power returns, sparks could fly from electrical surges.
If you want to maximize how long you can have access to power, you should invest in a generator. You can compare them online to see how expensive generators are and what fits your family’s needs.
5. Keep Your Freezer Closed
Keeping your freezer closed is an underrated thunderstorm safety suggestion. During power outages, freezers keep your food frozen for up to three days.
Make sure you limit how much you go into the freezer. You can also put water jugs in the freezer to help your food stay colder longer.
Use This Thunderstorm Safety Guide To Stay Safe
Thunderstorm safety during power outages is crucial. Power outages throw you out of your comfort zone for an indefinite amount of time.
You’ll want to do things that may seem like common sense. But you should follow these thunderstorm safety tips to help you survive until the power comes back on.
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