Freezing weather created a series of power failures throughout Texas in recent weeks. Without electricity, heat, and water, families were left to fend for themselves against the elements during the widespread power outage. As a mom, my heart ached for those struggling to keep the kids warm and I wondered if I’m prepared for an emergency like an outage that would last days.
Here’s what you should have in case of a power outage and what you can do to be safe and as comfortable as possible.
How to prepare for power outage
Power outage tips and tricks
Texas mom Shirley Hines felt unprepared for the outage. “We had our disaster plan for hurricanes, but a deep freeze was another story,” she told Mom.com, While she had flashlights, what they needed was heat. “I remembered that you can use crayons as candles, so we huddled around a few of my daughter’s crayons.”
Even being prepared might not be enough to be comfortable. That’s normal for many people. Here are some power outage tips and tricks to keep in mind when the power is out and you don’t have a generator to replace it:
- Charge your phone in your car: Take some time to use your car to refresh cell phone battery life. If it’s cold out, enjoy the warmth of the car while it's on, just make sure it isn’t in a closed garage to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.
- Strap a headlamp to a gallon of water: The water serves as a diffuser and helps create ambient light throughout the room.
- Bounce light sources off of mirrors: To get more light in a room, use mirrors to reflect it and illuminate walk paths and living spaces
- Use a washing machine as a cooler: If it’s the hot season, place ice in the washing machine with the food you want to store. It will insulate the cold and as the ice melts, it will drain without creating a mess
- Make a Crisco candle: Get a large tub of Crisco and stick a wick (or long piece of string) down into it. The candle can last some 45 days and provide some heat while lighting the room. Again, make sure to keep a close eye on candles and anything with an open flame, as they can be a fire hazard.
