Potential Loss of Power (PLOP) day

[hillfarm]

We are in the path of the current winter stormbut I doubt we will get all that much out of it. However, since we are at the end of a long, rural power line, there is always the chance that the snow will cause a limb to drop or a car to slide off into a power pole. So we activate our PLOP procedures.

 

I do up all the laundry, vaccuum, straighten, pay special attention to possible low-light tripping hazards, cook some easy to reheat foods, make sure everyone is freshly showered regardless of their preferred bathing schedule, get plenty of firewood onto the porch, top off all the watering tanks, verify that animal food is easily accessible, prepare to set up any needed wind blocks for animals.

 

We already have the basic preps in place, so I don't have to worry about those things, like ample meds, small bills cash, plenty of food stores, etc.

 

Any other ideas to add to the procedure?

Edited January 25, 2013 by hillfarm

[Mt_Rider]

Lets see....we do this too:

 

-Yes! "fill watering tanks" is always our first prep!!

-Also fill water containers for other people/house pet use [plus fill bathtub for flushing, and washing machine, but only if you can keep those areas above freezing with power out ]

-Deeper bedding for livestock if the tempurature will drop.

-Cover windows with extra bedding/bubblewrap/lightly crumpled newspapers, ect if the temps drop.

-IF you plan to close off parts of the house which don't have to have heat [as in: no pipes running through] if power is lost, make note of other liquid items that are located there. Must be removed if the area might freeze. Find them before dark.

-Check to see if furnace filter needs changing.

-Remind my parents to check their prescriptions meds for needed refills

-Call neighbor-friends to make sure they've heard the forecast.

-Make sure shovels/brooms were returned to their 'upright and proper' positions when last used.

-Position all lighting devices and their spare batteries in a handy place.

-Locate a cooler to deal with frozen foods/fridge foods {packing in snow?} if it should become necessary.

 

 

Love your hint about checking for low-light hazzards. Found that out on one of my dress rehearsals!

 

MtRider -- Stay safe and warm, all who are in the path!

[CrabGrassAcres]

One of my neighbors said his wife sets votive candles on the floor so they can see where they are walking. I was thinking maybe some of those solar lights could be set on the floor. Neighbor doesn't have children or indoor pets but if you have either, candles on the floor wouldn't be safe.

[mommato3boys]

You can get battery operated tea lights and they last a long time.

[The WE2's]

We have "puck" lights (with magnets on back and with hangers); one on each closet door & aimed at a mirror; two on the side of our frig; one hanging on each of livingroom lamps; one hanging on one of the bathroom cabinets, and one out on the enclosed patio, clinging to the side of our little dorm frig and aimed out over our deep freeze. We also keep one of the battery operated, pull string type lights that you can put on a wall or ??? We have one right inside our bathroom door, one just sitting on our head board, two in the enclosed patio. We also have 4 of the solar lights that are aimed outside to gather light, at all times. We can always use them like "lamps" if we wanted. We also keep our "space" blanket handy to seal off our livingroom, kitchen & bath and fire up our buddy heater, which has the bottle already attached & handy in the pantry room. We also have our Coleman 2-burner stove in the enclosed porch and a grill-sized propane tank sitting under my dehydrator table. We have plenty of foods that can easily be heated or eaten straight from their jar. We make sure the ice maker has a full load of ice, removing plenty to have additional bags that we store in our deep freeze, as well as a bag in the frig. (Breads about done...will finish this in a few...LOL)

 

OK...3 loaves sitting on the cooling rack...LOL

Continuing to take inventory of our readiness should we be in the pathway of a storm and loss of power...Also pitch a couple of moving blankets over the deep freeze and one over the back entry door to breezeway which also blocks house from enclosed patio. Fill Big Berkey, fill both Berkey sport bottles, fill bathtub, and fill every water pitcher we have...can use bottled water if needed, but only as last resort. We have about 5 cases, and about 5 gallon jugs. Make sure our bed has plenty of blankets handy. Make sure all cell phones (3) are fully charged.

 

Our main focus is nearly always shelter/warmth, food/water, fully charged cell phones/communication, lights and full tanks of gas in our vehicles in case it's a very long outage and we need to BO to our travel trailer for warmth etc. It's fully self-contained and everything runs off two propane tanks (and we have several more) and two "house" batteries, plus lots of puck lights there also.

 

We try to keep most of this "at ready" so we aren't rushing around at the last minute. I try to keep laundry done on a daily basis, and we shower each day and "wash up" each day...as well as dental care; equivalent to twice a day laundering of our bodies! LOL

 

We don't have "throw" rugs...because that's what they do...throw you...in the floor! LOL

Edited January 26, 2013 by Philbe