In lieu of the recent mini black-out incident in New York City, over 73,000 people went from normal to pitch black in a split second. Many were left without power, stuck in elevators and dark subways. Daily life and tourism came to a halt. Luckily, power was restored fairly quickly and within hours the city was back to its normal fast pace.
So then, what’s the big deal?
Well, unfortunately the infrastructure of our power grid is massively inundated and very outdated, leaving it very vulnerable for big issues. Much of our updated workings are intermingled with the older ones, and something very simple could cause a mass black out in a matter of seconds. Whether it be weather, cyber hackers or typical power issues, we are at risk. And that risk is higher than people want to admit.
If a mass blackout occurs, which is bound to happen, millions will instantly lose access to life giving resources without warning. You will lose access to your finances, your food sources, your power, gas, access to medications, transportation and even telecommunication lines. All lost, in seconds. With cyber-terrorists hacking away daily and weather being a constant wild card, it seems as though this could be a real crisis sooner than later.
Being prepared could be a matter of life or death for you and your family. Don’t be scared, just get prepared. We have gathered some of the top items that are essential for your black-out kit. Keep in mind to update these items every so often and check expiration dates. Otherwise, pack it up and store it somewhere that you and all members of the family are aware of and can access quickly, keeping in mind any hazards for small children.
You will need the following to get you started in the case of emergency:
10 Black-Out Kit Essentials
1. Storage bin
You want something that can be grabbed and transported with stability and easily if you have to leave quickly.
2. Light
You need a few flashlights. Have batteries already in the flashlight, so it’s ready to be turned on immediately. A headlamp makes an excellent option, as well as having some glow sticks with string to wear as a necklace. Have all of these, You can’t over do it.
3. Batteries
Take note, you need extra batteries and extra batteries for the extra batteries. The most common sizes are AA and AAA, but be sure to check anything in your kit to make other sizes are not needed.
4. First Aid Kit
This should be equipped with gloves, bandages, tweezers, scissors, alcohol wipes, medical tape, gauze pads, antibiotic ointment, over the counter pain medications, tweezers and hydrocortisone cream. If you are on medications, having an extra set of them to store in there is wise.
5. Food
You want to prepare for at least 3 days of nutrient dense food for you and your family. Be mindful that if you have kids, pack things they will easily eat. Some suggestions are granola bars, jerky, canned foods with can opener or pull-lids, nuts, dried fruits, seeds and easy packaged foods like oats and soups. If you have a baby, a can of formula is important. Also, remember to include dry food for your pets.
6. Water
Hydration is a must in crisis situations. Keep as much water as you can easily carry with you. Sports drinks are also great because they help balance electrolytes. Be sure to pack enough for your pets and for baby bottles if needed.
7. Other Equipment
A few must haves we keep in our kit include a utility knife, candles and matches, a whistle, garbage bags, cooking pot and duct tape.
8. Clothing
You’ll need dry clothing to meet seasonal needs, and extra underwear and socks. Pack clothing in protective gallon zip bags to avoid them from getting wet or damaged.
9. Personal items
A few toiletries, deodorant, baby wipes, toilet paper, tampons/pads for women, diapers for babies will make a black-out more comfortable.
10. Extras
Once the essentials are stashed, add some cash, a deck of cards, a board game, pen & paper, books. This may not be crucial for physical survival, but can help many stay distracted and calm in stressful situations.
The truth is, it’s not a matter of “if” but more a matter of “when” we will see a crisis size black out. At this exact moment, how prepared are you for the when?
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on Jul 16, 2019, and has been updated for quality and relevancy.
Unknown to most of the public. Every year in June, ham radio operators practice for emergencies of all kinds including a grid shutdown. Hams will be operating straight through any emergency except a direct hit on them. Interestingly, in a nuclear cloud, the only communication which can piece a nuclear cloud is Morse Code dots and dashes from hams.
I would bring a life straw
In LIEU of the power outage…?
Make sure you pack a bible in all those supplies.
Great items to have .!! I just thought I’d add something. I have four little dogs (I know don’t judge ) so have extra bags of food for them medication, pet first aid stuff, towel and a dish or foldable dish for water. I also have horses and I have our horse trailer ready with extra feed, water tank, buckets, first aid, Tie out lines, blankets stuff like that and if you don’t have a camp trailer or tent or something you can use the horse trailer for bigger shelter. After you clean all the apples out of course… or not you can bed down on top horse manure for heat. It works . But id only do that in extreme conditions or apocalypse!