[JeffGreenhut]

Hey All,

We just had a short blackout in Texas. Knowing I had a fully loaded HK and my Sig rifle. In addition to all my medications, a months worth of food and water. Charged solar panel...and so forth and so on was priceless. It's beyond me, in this day and age with the affordability of the basics that it took me so long to be prepared. Especially given that I was in the military in my youth and a Ground Zero responder. Stay safe and ready!!!

 

[Kauboy]

It does feel good to have immediate needs already covered when the unexpected happens.
Was it last year's few days of freeze and power loss across the state that spurred you into action?

 

[KellyDude]

Colorado had over 100,000 without power yesterday after temperature dropped 60 degrees. I bought a gas generator during Texas' deadly winter and have subsequently bought 3 solar generators and built a beefier one of my own. Power is not optional for me.
Glad you were prepared, Jeff.
Bookmark this map to see how common and far-reaching outages are, especially this summer PowerOutage.US

 

[Prepper911]

I don't have half of what I need. Though a power outage os half of my worries. I am trying my best with what I have and the time I have.

 

[CC Pereira]

I think one method of preparing for blackouts and brownouts -- in addition to alternative methods of electricity production, storage, and distribution -- is to replace electric stuff with non-electric stuff ... not everything, because that would likely be impractical, but some things. Here are some examples:

• French press (which also eliminates the need for coffee filters, and can be used for making coffee, tea, infusion, decoction, or juice)
• manual hand mixer
• manual flour mill
• manual food processor
• hand cranked blender
• clay pot refrigerator (for non-electric refrigeration, in areas that are not humid)
• bucket and laundry plunger or double sided wash board (to wash laundry)
• clothesline or drying rack (to dry laundry)
• solar cooker (to cook, bake, steam, distill water, etc. during the day, without electricity or fire)
• candles or oil (for non-electric lighting)
• wind up clocks and watches
• mortar and pestle
• butter churn
• stove top toaster
• Dutch oven
• manual can opener

Feel free to add to the list!

 

[jimLE]

That subzero temp and outage in February of 2021 taught me that I'm not halfway prepared for one.and yes.it caught me off guard, and unprepared for it.i barely stayed warm enough with the candles I used.but yet.it proved that I had plenty of canned and dry foods and bottled water.and my stovetop percolator came in handy to.

 

[CC Pereira]

That subzero temp and outage in February of 2021 taught me that I'm not halfway prepared for one.and yes.it caught me off guard, and unprepared for it.i barely stayed warm enough with the candles I used.but yet.it proved that I had plenty of canned and dry foods and bottled water.and my stovetop percolator came in handy to.

Did you get smacked in the face with an extremely high electric bill (up to $20,000), despite the blackout? Just curious. I heard that a lot of folks did.

 

[jimLE]

Nope. I'm one of the fortunate ones that didn't. And I've been stocking up on winter preps ever since

 

[inceptor]

Did you get smacked in the face with an extremely high electric bill (up to $20,000), despite the blackout? Just curious. I heard that a lot of folks did.

Those who did were the same people thinking they beat the system by getting very low cost electric service. The fine print stated that they would pay market prices. I'm with the main provider of service and my bill never changed. Oh my gas bill went up but that's because we used a whole lot more than normal.

 

[jimLE]

My gas bill did to.but yet, it's the only way I was gonna drink my morning coffee and heat the kitchen somewhat at the same time.

 

[WolfBrother]

During the little cool spell Feb 2021 my part of the Texas Hill Country had rolling blackouts at a roughly 4 on and 4 to 8 off cycle.

I had UCO 12 hour beeswax candles in/on ceramic or glass containers both bathrooms and in the main bedroom, living room, and kitchen. I had a single mantle propane lantern going at the living room/kitchen junction (it put out a surprising amount of heat), and a single burner propane burner to cook with.

Wife and I had to bundle up a bit but it never got below 55F in the house.

We had drinking water but the first outage showed me a prep deficiency. No power, no water pressure from the local rural water company. No water pressure, no flush water.

First power time back on, I filled several 5 gal water jugs for flush water and backup drinking water.

I had bought additional batteries for my wife’s portable O2 concentrator and a separate free standing A/C charger. We were able to recharge to full charge on them during the times power was cycled on. Push come to shove we’d have retreated to the car and used it as a very inefficient 12V power source to recharge them.

Basically we did cool/cold weather camping inside the house.

More or less weathered it with little to no discomfort.

 

[KellyDude]

Yes, one of those 'alternative power' kids came door-to-door when I was in Maine and I passed on that opportunity.
I was shopping camping stoves yesterday and many are sold out - interesting days coming...

 

[Mr. Krinkle]

I filled several 5 gal water jugs for flush water...

Good advice, taken. Already have the drinking water taken care of, but this...

 

[Back Pack Hack]

I don't have half of what I need. .....

This applies to everyone.

 

[Dirk Pitt]

I probably have s good amount of what I need, just not everything I want.

 

[WolfBrother]

Good advice, taken. Already have the drinking water taken care of, but this...

This is why we share what we know so others do not have to learn the hard way what we learned the hard way.