Tips Numbers 2 and 3…Self Reliance is Possible For All…September Newsletter all About Power Outages
Henry Ford said: “Whether you think you can’t or think you can, you are right”
Many have fallen into the trap of thinking they can’t when it comes to self reliance and emergency preparedness. That is just not true. Anyone, and everyone, can and should be setting goals and becoming better prepared to handle life’s challenges. When we fail to prepare and an emergency hits that challenge is magnified by the fact that we just don’t know what to do. Some give up and let the government or family worry about the problem. Some sink into deep depressions and make very poor choices. The truly wise call a friend and ask for help in pulling themselves out and preparing so a crisis can never catch them off guard again.
I am often told by people that they don’t have the money to prepare. Many preparations don’t take money, just a little time. I have been told they don’t have room to store food or supplies. Sure you do. I have discussed this at length here and in our newsletters and it is always a huge part of the discussion when I do a personal consultation. You just need to learn to think like those designers on TV who redo small apartments. I have seen them do wonders with 400 square feet. You can do the same and we can help.
Yesterday was a very upsetting day for me. My computer was giving me all sorts of trouble and my newsletter was lost. I apologize to all our subscribers for being a day late and also to you that I did not get our second of 30 tips posted. I do not want to get behind so today you get two!
Review…
Tip #1: Find an out of area contact.
Today’s Tips
#2: Since we are still worried about hurricane Earl hitting the east coast today we are going to gather maps. Take time today to go through the glove box, file cabinet or other hidden places and pull out all the maps you have lying around. Get several different colors of highlighters and mark at least three different routes out of the city in which you live and end at the home of your out of area contact. If you can’t find maps call your city Chamber of Commerce or check your state’s government website and see if they can mail you free maps. You can also go on line and print maps there.
#3: Collect all the flashlights in your home, car and and hidden recesses. Check to make sure they are all working properly. Make note of any batteries you need to purchase. Remove the batteries from all except the one you use often and store them with the flashlight but not in it. In the car your batteries should be in a plastic bag inside your auto kit along with the flashlight but never inside it. Batteries can explode or leak ruining your flashlight. I always keep two sets of batteries just in case one set has a leaker. I have had this happen twice within the past year and one of the batteries was in a flashlight I used often and it was ruined.
There you go, three tips, all free and all easily accomplished.
Our September Newsletter is out and I think it’s a great one! In this edition:
Let’s Play…a look at things to do during a power outage to keep sane.
Food Safety…keeping foods safe during a power outage.
Frozen Food During a Power Outage, when to save and when to throw away.
Dutch Oven Cooking…How to Control the Temperature
Haybox Cooking…one more way to cook when the grid goes down.
Recipes: This month all the recipes are from 1850. They are fun and easy to make and perfect during power emergencies, after all our great grandparents didn’t have electricity!
If you are on the east coast of the United States be sure to check out the preparing for Hurricane Earl post!
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Back issues: Totally Ready Newsletters July 2009- June 2010
You’re doing such a great job with this website, Carolyn. Thank you for all the great tips!
I just want to thank you Carolyn for your service these past few years. I have not thought that your information was confusing nor hard to follow. In fact, it has been organized and easy to understand. In retrospect, there have been some problems in my life that I haven’t always wanted to tackle and I have told myself that it is too hard, but when there is something equally hard and intricate that I actually want to do, I find that that task really isn’t hard. I’m wondering how much personal attitude and the willingness to prepare play into some of our perceptions about how difficult it actually is.
Truly a great post