Invest in Backup Power

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The other night around 2:30am, I woke up to discover that the lights had gone out. I wondered what happened since a thunderstorm had not occurred, and no unusual sound had made itself known.

I called the local utility company to report the power outage and was given a time frame regarding when the power would be restored. Although the power was not turned back on when the operator initially reported, the power made its arrival around 3pm that afternoon. The operator also revealed that extensive damage had affected the local area substation. I was grateful that the damage was corrected, and that the outage was not extended beyond a few hours.

I find it quite funny when the lights go out, everyone in the house has a tendency to stand around and look at each other as if looking at each other will restore the electricity. I think it’s just human nature to become bewildered at the slightest interruption of anything that makes our lives comfortable.

Although we’re all aware that power outages can happen whether a storm takes place or not, we don’t prepare like we should. I’ve been aware of emergency preparedness products for several years, and I’m not as prepared as I should be. I was caught off guard the other night. I usually listen to music on my phone prior to falling asleep. So, when I was made aware that the power was out, I immediately picked up my phone and noticed that it only had 32% battery life left. I was disappointed that I had not charged the phone before falling asleep, but I also understood that regardless of my intended charging, the app would have drawn a significant amount of power from the phone anyway while playing music.

I also thought about the solar phone charger I should have purchased a while ago, but I didn’t make it a priority.

These situations are the types of challenges many people in other countries deal with on a daily basis particularly refugees. We all must become more conscious about the “what if” situations. I’m not recommending this to preach doom and gloom, or to throw you into a panic mode. However, I would like to bring this to your attention so that you won’t be thrown into a panic mode when the unexpected happens.

Goal Zero has several products that can help you recharge when the lights have gone out. This company offers cell phone chargers, solar generators, and panels. The prices are pretty reasonable and should be considered as a long-term investment instead of a major expense.

My grandmother used to say, “it’s better to have than to not need than to need and don’t have.” She would tell me this when she would carry an umbrella with her on sunny days. I used to laugh at this anecdote, but I have come to find out that she was right. So, I encourage you to start preparing for emergencies before it starts raining. We were lucky that the power company was able to fix the problem within a short period of time, but there have been times when the power was restored within a few days. Although a few days is also a short period of time, it’s long when you rely on technology for your income and health needs.

Be proactive and purchase a generator now. Summer is coming, and you don’t know how hot it will be. You want to be able to at least operate a fan during hot nights. Since Goal Zero offers a variety of generator sizes, it would be beneficial to purchase several to provide sufficient power for several areas of your home instead of carrying one unit from one room to the next. If you think about the number of lamps and other electrical devices you have in your home, purchasing a small generator for each of those lamps or devices would maintain your normal power supply.

You would probably only need one large generator to maintain the power for your appliances such as your refrigerator and washing machine. One of the best benefits that solar generators offer is the lack of fumes and noise. Solar panels also need to be purchased so that you can recharge your generator frequently.

If the utility company comes shortly after your request for help, that’s great, but you must take into account the number of residents they are servicing within your region.

If you would like more information about emergency preparedness products, visit GoalZero.

Emergency Essentials also has valuable products to assist you during power outages. To view products, visit here: www.beprepared.com