If you live in Cincinnati Ohio, then you already know how unpredictable the weather can be. It can certainly be snowing one day, then hot and stormy a few days later. With the spring and summer season, an increase in violent storms occurs, along with the chance for power outages. The best thing any homeowner can do is to be as prepared as possible so they aren't left in the dark (literally)! While a whole-house generator isn't in everyone's budget, consider preparing your family for unexpected power outages with these 5 items.
1. Portable Inverter Generator
A portable inverter generator is an emergency essential for providing power in the event of an outage. There are several models to choose from, Honda is a really dependable brand (and no, I don't get anything if you buy from this link), and most weigh under 60 lbs and operate with a very low noise level - huge plus compared with some of the older style generators. At the minimum, you want to be sure you can operate a refrigerator and space heater (in case the outage strikes during the cold season).
2. Hand-Cranking Rechargeable Flashlight
We won't have any trouble at our house finding one of these, since my four year old daughter sleeps with one at night (LOL), but seriously, in an outage you don't want to have to rely solely on battery powered light (such as a phone or traditional flashlight). Hand-cranking flashlights are relatively inexpensive, and you're not required to have a fresh supply of batteries laying around. With most models, 6 minutes of cranking gives you approximately an hour of light.
3. Surge Protector with Battery Backup
In case you haven't heard of this cool gadget, consider getting a surge protector that includes battery backup for power outages. It's always charged up so it's ready when you need it to charge up all of your devices.
4. Bottled / Jugs of Water
Keep your water in the fridge? Don't open the refrigerator and let out valuable cold air every time you need some water. It's a good idea to keep a stash of unopened drinking water somewhere in your home for emergencies - 1 gallon per person is ideal.
5. First Aid Kit
It goes without saying that every home - especially ones with kids - should have a fully stocked first aid kit. But during a wide spread power outage, it's best (if possible) to treat small injuries at home since getting to an available doctor at that moment may be rather difficult. But of course use common sense here, if you stub your toe when the lights go out unexpectedly, a first aid kit may be helpful. Obviously if you fall down the steps and suspect something is broken, then call for help.
