Getting Started: Prepping For a Two-Week Power OutageDaisy Luther A great starting point for someone who is just getting started on a preparedness journey is prepping specifically for a two-week power outage. If you can comfortably survive for two weeks without electricity, you will be in a far better position than most of the people in North America. Even if you arent convinced that hardcore preparedness is for you, it would still be difficult to argue against the possibility of a disaster lasting for a couple of weeks. Major natural disasters like Hurricane Sandy down to lesser storms like last years derecho in the Metro DC area are incontestable storms happen and all you can do is be ready to weather them. As well, a large western US power company recently announced that they did not foreseethe ability to keep up with electrical demand this summer, and may institute rolling blackouts to cope with it. If you are prepared for two weeks without power, you are prepared for a wide range of short-term emergencies, including quarantines, interruptions of income, or civil unrest. To prepare for a two-week emergency, think about what you would need if the power went out and you couldnt leave your home for 14 days. Once you begin creating your plan, you may be surprised and discover that you already have most of what you need to batten down the hatches for a couple of weeks. Its just a matter of organizing it so you can see what you need. Use the following information to create your personal two-week preparedness plan. Modify the suggestions to adapt them to your particular home, family, and climate. You can create your water supply very inexpensively. Many people use clean 2 liter soda pop bottles to store tap water. Others purchase the large 5 gallon jugs of filtered water from the grocery store. Consider a gravity fed water filtration device and water purification tablets as well. If you opt for a secondary cooking method, be sure that you have enough fuel for two weeks. Store foods that do not require long cooking times for example, dried beans would use a great deal of fuel, but canned beans could be warmed up, or even eaten cold. Click HERE for a short term food storage list Click HERE to find a list of foods that require no cooking. Click HERE to learn how to stay warm with less heat. However, after about 48 hours, thats not going to be enough in very cold weather. You will require back-up heat at this point in certain climates. If you are lucky enough to have a source of heat like a fireplace or woodstove, youll be just fine as long as you have a supply of wood. Consider a portable propane heater (and propane) or an oil heater. You have to be very careful what type of backup heat you plan on using, as many of them can cause carbon monoxide poisoning if used in a poorly ventilated area. Learn more about off-grid heat options HERE. Sanitation needs For cleaning, reduce your need to wash things. Stock up on paper plates, paper towels, and disposable cups and flatware. Keep some disinfecting cleaning wipes and sprays (I dont recommend using antibacterial products on a regular basis, however in the event of an emergency they can help to keep you healthy.) Use hand sanitizer after using the bathroom and before handing food or beverages there may be a lot more germs afoot in a disaster. Look at your options for sanitation. Does your toilet still flush when the electricity is out? Many people discovered the hard way that the toilets didnt work when the sewage backed up in the highrises in New York City in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. At our cabin, the toilet wont flush without power because the pump is electric. If you are on a septic system, with no risk of the toilet backing up into the house, simply store some water for flushing in the bathroom. (At the first sign of a storm, we always fill the bathtub for this purpose.) Add the water to the tank so that you can flush. If this is not an option, another solution is to stock up on extremely heavy duty garbage bags (like the kind that contractors use at construction sites) and kitty litter. Place a bag either in your drained toilet or in a bucket. Sprinkle some kitty litter in the bottom of the bag. Each time someone uses the bathroom, add another handful of litter. Be very careful that the bag doesnt get too heavy for you to handle it. Tie it up very securely and store it outside until services are restored. Some lighting solutions are: Some basic items will make your life much easier during an emergency. Here are some things that are essential in the event of a power outage: If youd like to expand on the basic supplies, a more detailed list of tools and hardware can be found HERE. If you want to put together a more advanced medical kit, you can find a listHERE. The peace of mind that comes from being prepared for a disaster before it happens cannot be measured. You wont have to fight the crowds or be faced with empty store shelves. You wont have to sit there, cold and miserable, in the dark. You wont be hungry or thirsty. You will be able to face the event with the serenity that readiness brings, and this will also make it less traumatic for your children when they see that you arent afraid. If youve dealt with a long-term power outage, what were some of the items that you found the most important? 