07/06/2021 / By Zoey Sky
Summers aren’t always about fun, sun and sand. If you live in a state with very hot summers, a long-term power outage can spell trouble for your whole family.
Protect your loved ones from the heat and dehydration by prepping before a summer power outage. (h/t to TheOrganicPrepper.com)
Prepping for a summer outage means you might be dealing with common issues like heat-related illnesses and food spoilage.
The heat won’t just cause discomfort if you don’t have air conditioning; it could cause serious illnesses if you don’t know how to cool down properly.
Dehydration occurs when your body loses more fluids than you consume and it can be more dangerous for older family members and younger children.
Common symptoms of dehydration can include:
Below are more serious dehydration symptoms that require immediate medical attention:
If dehydration isn’t treated immediately, it may cause severe complications like:
Try the following tips to help your family members stay hydrated:
When prepping for a summer power outage, you need to store a lot of water for drinking, cleaning and other tasks.
Don’t rely on the faucet in your bathroom and kitchen. When SHTF, water may not run from the taps.
Even if it does, it might not always be safe to drink. If there’s a boil order in place and the power is out you might have to think of other ways to boil water if you can’t use your stove.
You need a two-week supply of water for the whole family, with at least one gallon of drinking water per day, per person. Finally, stock up on water for pets. (Related: Prepper must-haves: What to stock up on before a summer or winter power outage.)
If a power outage lasts for more than four hours, you need to check the food in your fridge and freezer.
Avoid opening the doors to the refrigerator and freezer to help them maintain cooler temperatures for a longer time. If the power outage continues, and the food thaws out or begins to get warm, use coolers to store your most expensive perishables then fill them with ice from the freezer to extend their lifespan.
According to the Red Cross, a half-filled freezer that is not opened the entire time that the power is out can keep the food in it sufficiently frozen for at least 24 hours. If your fridge is completely filled, the food should remain safe for about 48 hours.
If you don’t have air conditioning on your homestead, here are other ways to stay cool:
Outages can occur any time of the year. The tips below will help you prepare before the power goes out in your neighborhood.
Stock up on food and a way to prepare it without electricity
Before SHTF, store food that doesn’t require cooking and prep a cooking method that doesn’t require the grid to be functioning. If you also want to prep a secondary cooking method, stock up on enough fuel for two weeks.
Store foods that don’t require long cooking times. In the summer, avoid using cooking methods that heat up your house and consider other options like outdoor barbecues or solar cookers.
Light
Prepare emergency lighting solutions such as:
First aid kit
You need a basic first aid kit on hand at all times, especially if SHTF.
A first aid kit should include basic items such as:
Entertainment
Books, toys and board games will help keep the kids and adults entertained during a long-term power outage. Keep a box of off-grid entertainment supplies in an easy-to-access location and include items for family members with different interests.
Include items and supplies like:
Prep ahead so when SHTF, you have what you need to help your family stay cool and healthy even during a summer power outage.
Sources include:
Tagged Under: blackout, dehydration, electricity, grid down, hydration, off grid, Power Outage, preparedness, prepping, SHTF, stockpiling, summer power outage, survival, tips
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