When it comes to storm season its best to be prepared. It can be a daunting task if you don't know where to begin. Being armed with the right information can make life a lot easier for you and your family when the need arises. In a typical fashion, I will cut right to the chase about what items you should consider.
Tailor your purchases to what your needs are. These are just generalized suggestions.
Here is a list of 6 items I believe are a good start:
Lighting
When it comes to storm season and bad weather its pretty typical for the power to go off. To combat this flashlights can really save the day. Whether you have a smaller battery powered light or if you have rechargeable options it will really help morale being able to see when the neighborhood goes dark.
In my years experience I have learned to embrace all that is USB powered devices. This is primarily because it helps standardize and simplify when it comes to recharging gear. Sure your old mag light that is filled with C or D cell batteries will work all the same when its needed, but needing to stock and store and then find batteries can be a hassle when you need it most. My biggest protip is to get rechargeable items. Like headlamps and lanterns to keep around the house. These are perfect for when there are emergencies and will be a godsend when you need it. These LED items are usually very cost effective and long lasting. Get some smaller lights for your family members and a couple headlamps so in the case you need them you can work with your hands free. Standardizing with USB type items will help so much for later.
Power bank
By now most people have probably seen the ads online or a coworker with one to keep their phone charged. Battery power banks are an essential piece of kit to keep all of your devices up and running when power from the wall is not an option.
Battery banks can come in different sizes, features, and price points. The general idea is to get a bank that is bigger than you think you may need. This is especially true if you have kids.
Piggy backing on to the idea to standardize with USB items the battery bank will be the central hub to charging all or most of your items you will need for storm weather. These banks can keep your phone charged, lights going, small USB fans running, and keep those tablets charged up to make the time pass much easier. If you have multiple items that may require a lot of juice then you will definitely want to get a larger battery bank and keep it charged and on hand. Check the bank every few months to make sure that it is full so when you need it, it will be almost full for your emergency needs.
Food and water
Most people will have things on hand but having a specific stock available for storms and emergency use is a good idea. Even if it is just stocking a couple jugs of water and a box of MREs (meals ready to eat) it will prove helpful during a power outage and emergency. General rule of thumb is to keep 1 gallon of water on hand per person in your home per 24 hour period. Do not forget pets!
Specifically, long term storage items that can be eaten and drank without the use of power is what I am talking about. MREs or combat rations are seen and used with our military personnel. These will have a lot of different things in each pack and have more than enough to keep a belly full. One of the key things is that these MRE's last a long time in temperature controlled environments and can be eaten completely without any heating. And they stay good to eat for 5+ years stored properly. They will typically include a main entree, some side items like crackers and peanut butter and jelly, pop tarts, drink options like electrolyte mixes, shakes, and coffee. There will also sometimes be desserts and sweets included too. In short, MREs for the convenience factor are hard to beat. You buy them, keep them on hand, and use when you need them.
There are a variety of MREs available. They usually come in cases of 12 and will have the menu numbers listed so you can pick what type of food you would like to have on hand. Get some MRE's and remember to rotate long term storage water out regularly and you will be good to go.
First aid and tools
Keeping basic boo boo and blow out gear is essential. In other entries I explain much more in depth this subject. For the sake of this simplified list if you are just starting out, a very basic prebuilt first aid kit will do just fine.
Keep this first aid box up to date, and add items specific to suit your needs as you go.
Tool wise having essential items on hand like a power drill, hand tools like a small saw or hatchet/axe, multitool, and a set of rain gear may come in handy as well. Having waterproof boots has been a huge help for me personally and can help if you live in areas prone to flooding or swampy conditions. Modify these kits to suit your situation before you actually need them.
Entertainment and comfort
Having a deck of cards, some board games, or an extra tablet with offline games can make a world of difference when you are without power and waiting for the internet to be restored.
Even just having a nice little USB fan can help overall morale if the weather is a bit warm. Or having extra blankets and sleeping bags if its cold. Some of the creature comforts will make the whole experience much more easy to endure. Depending on your family size and age groups involved this list can be different from household to household. But you should think about these things more once you have the other items tackled in my opinion. Prioritizing general safety and basic essential needs to come first!
Communication
Typically everyone has a cellphone, but you should also consider a radio. A small weather radio will work perfect to keep you updated as to what is going on in your area when there is a storm or weather event.
You can simply buy a ready to go weather radio on amazon or at a local big box store. Or you can get a programmable Baofeng radio and have a lot more functions. These smaller cheap radios do require some work to set up but the benefits are incredible compared to blister pack walkie talkies.
If you are looking for a place to start there are hand crank powered weather and safety radios available. If you decide to go down the Baofeng rabbit hole its a huge vast world with a large community to help you along the way. I highly recommend eventually going the programmable radio route as they have so many features like FM radio, weather radio, scanning capabilities, and all the benefits of a walkie talkie. And you can even get a USB compatible charger for these radios to keep them juiced up for a longer duration of time. Regardless of your choice have them charged and ready for when you need them.
Simply put, you cannot always rely on your cell phone and need to have other options on hand.
Having a little planning and forethought put into basic preparedness for storms and bad weather will make a big difference. Having the most important things rounded up, you can concentrate on some more of the comfort items. Practice what it would be like having no power. Especially if you have kids, and then make a list of the things you learned. After you can reevaluate your gear and situation for when you may need it. Practice makes perfect.
Here is your list.
1. Lighting
2. Power bank
3. Food and water
4. First aid and tools
5. Entertainment and comfort
6. Communication
Aside from what I mentioned here, what items do you have that are a must that I missed? Sound off in the comments section below.
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