What if I Was in a Blackout?
Written by Cheri Stirling
I think that all of us recognize that our world is reliant on technology. We need power to run our homes, vehicles, and offices. Most of our businesses are run using the internet. School’s depend on technology for lessons, curriculum materials and grading. Have you ever stopped to think about how our world would be different if there were no power or internet for a time?
Februrary 2021 brought a huge power crisis in Texas due to major winter storms. About 4.5 million homes were without power for about 10-12 days, and resulted in about 700 people dying. However unlikely, it is worth preparing for in case our families were in a similar situation. For the next few weeks, we will be focusing on the hypothetical situation that the power grid were to go down for a few weeks.
According to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, we have certain needs that must be met first. If you don’t have food, that is going to become a huge focus in an emergency. Maslow theorized that people must have their biological needs first. These include food, drink, shelter, warmth, sleep, etc. Things our bodies need to survive. Then we need things that allow us to feel safe, such as protection, routines. In an emergency such as a power outage, what do we need to do to make sure these needs are met for our families?
I had a teacher once that said the point of education is to learn the things we didn’t know we didn’t know. In order to be able to ask the right questions, we have to realize there are things we don’t know, and how to identify them. So today, I’m offering you a list of questions to help you identify things that may need to be addressed in the case of a power crisis, and then the next few weeks will be dedicated to each category!
Homes
- What are things we rely on that need power?
- Do we have a backup plan if the power went out?
- What are the essential things to keep running in a case of a power outage?
- Do we have alternatives for medical devices?
- Do we have enough candles/flashlights to light our home?
- What batteries do our flashlights need?
- How do we communicate with loved ones?
- Do we have battery packs to recharge our phones?
- What happens to our well if the power is out?
- How will that affect our sump pump?
- How can we protect our appliances and devices when the power returns, or in case of surges?
- How can we access the internet?
- Do we have a back up clock or way to keep time?
Food
- How long would food in the fridge last?
- How long would food in the freezer last?
- How much food do we have on hand?
- What foods will my family eat if there is no power?
- Where could we obtain food if we run out?
- How do we cook meals?
Water
- How much water do we have on hand?
- How much water do we need?
- Will our water be safe to drink?
- Can we purify water if we run out?
- Where can we access water if we run out?
Heating/Cooling
- Do we know how to keep our home cool or warm if the power were out?
- If a generator is available, is there enough wattage available to run those things in addition to our other essential items?
- Do we have alternate way to heat our home?
- How can we keep family members safe we use an alternate heat source?
- Do we have fuel for those alternatives?
- Do we have other ways to keep warm or cool?
- Does our community have a plan to help us stay cool or warm if temperatures become extreme?
Resources
- Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, Simply Psychology
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