Being prepared for a possible power grid collapse is a must. The power grid can shut down for an extended period for a variety of reasons, such as wildfires, hurricanes, tornadoes, mismanagement, sagging lines and high winds.
Having a prepper’s mindset is an advantage. Here are 12 things you need to prepare to survive a power grid collapse. (Related: Prepping tips: How to survive a long-term power outage.)
Light
When the power grid fails, you must have a flashlight at your home. Place flashlights in your bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, garage, vehicle and one close to your electrical panel.
Having spare flashlights is a good plan. It is much better if you have rechargeable batteries on hand for those flashlights.
Oil lamps and candles are other probable lighting sources, but they can cause fire. Candles and lamps can be an advantage when you need heat, especially in cold climates.
Having a crank-powered flashlight is good, especially if it can serve as a flashlight and a backup charger for emergencies.
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Batteries
Flashlights are good, but you have to make sure that their batteries don’t go out easily.
Having batteries with long storage life is also essential. Also make sure to have rechargeable batteries and a good charger.
Rechargeable batteries can be costly but can save you a lot of money over a long period of time.
Water
Having cases of water bottles around during power outages is essential. It is better that you rotate your water storage since water will go stale after extended storage. Keeping a 55-gallon drinking potable water drum with a pump can be useful in emergencies, especially if you don’t have a substitute water source.
Toilet
Nature calls whether the power is out or not. You need to stock up on extra toilet paper.
With long-term grid down situations, toilets aren’t likely to work. Know where your poop goes.
It might be necessary to poop on a newspaper, or in a DIY Emergency Toilet and store waste in a black plastic bags. Have some wet wipes available for clean up.
Garbage bags
Having lots of heavy-duty garbage bags is a must. You should also plan ahead for your garbage management.
If you use paper plates and plastic silverware so you have less or no dish washing, that means more garbage.
Garbage bags can also be makeshift tarps if a window is blown out, or you need to make something partly waterproof temporarily.
Backup power
Having a generator is important, especially if you have the funds. Of course, you need to learn how to use it.
You must have a heavy-duty extension cord to power your appliances and you can hire an electrician to hardwire your home’s electrical system.
If you are using natural gas, you might consider using a natural gas generator.
You can also use solar panels, but they are an expensive option compared to a generator. If you are already using solar panels, you should focus on home battery solutions.
Off-grid cooking tools and supplies
Learn how to cook your meal without electricity. Practice no-electricity cooking regularly so that you will know how to do it and make sure you have the much-needed equipment.
Use outdoor grills and have extra bags of charcoal. You should also consider having extra propane tanks.
Use indoor gas ranges/stoves that will work when there is a power outage. You can also purchase a portable gas stove.
Food that you eat daily
Begin to stock more of the food that you regularly eat. Focus on food that you can store without electricity.
Stockpile food that is on sale since it costs less. Remember to eat your oldest food first. Since you eat daily, it will keep your stock of food fresh.
Ensure that you have food supplies enough to last for a week if not more. Make sure you can process and prepare your food without electric power.
Have a three-day food supply for everyone in your family. You can also complement it with freeze-dried or canned foods that you like.
Heating and cooling equipment and supplies
For people living in cold climates, it is best to consider an indoor safe heater to keep you warm. You also need to get extra propane tanks.
If you have a fireplace or woodstove, it is better to store firewood.
Communication tools
Your cell phone battery will eventually be drained of power so you should have a solar charger, car charger, extra power battery pack and crank USB charger.
Have a written or printed-out list of key phone numbers along with local paper maps so you can get to where you are going and when your GPS isn’t working.
Have a crank-powered radio so you can listen to emergency broadcasts and TV broadcasts.
First aid supplies
Make sure that you have your own first aid kit. Have one first aid kit for your home, in your vehicle and at your work. You should have enough first aid supplies that will enable you to survive for a week.
Learn CPR and basic first aid training and make sure that members of your family are properly trained as well.
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Money and other items
Businesses that are open may only be able to take cash, or only take credit. It’s good to have both on hand, especially small bills.
A deck of cards and board games, meanwhile, can be useful when you feel bored and want to pass the time.
Find more articles with survival tips at Survival.news.
Watch this video to learn more about power grid collapse.
This video is from the Prosciencetruth channel on Brighteon.com.
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More related stories:
- Trump orders nationwide preparation against power grid collapse initiated by cyber warfare.
- The three biggest stories of 2019 that indicate a collapse of the power grid is imminent.
- Tips to prepare for a nationwide power grid failure.
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Five Things New “Preppers” Forget When Getting Ready for Bad Times Ahead
The preparedness community is growing faster than it has in decades. Even during peak times such as Y2K, the economic downturn of 2008, and Covid, the vast majority of Americans made sure they had plenty of toilet paper but didn’t really stockpile anything else.
Things have changed. There’s a growing anxiety in this presidential election year that has prompted more Americans to get prepared for crazy events in the future. Some of it is being driven by fearmongers, but there are valid concerns with the economy, food supply, pharmaceuticals, the energy grid, and mass rioting that have pushed average Americans into “prepper” mode.
There are degrees of preparedness. One does not have to be a full-blown “doomsday prepper” living off-grid in a secure Montana bunker in order to be ahead of the curve. In many ways, preparedness isn’t about being able to perfectly handle every conceivable situation. It’s about being less dependent on government for as long as possible. Those who have proper “preps” will not be waiting for FEMA to distribute emergency supplies to the desperate masses.
Below are five things people new to preparedness (and sometimes even those with experience) often forget as they get ready. All five are common sense notions that do not rely on doomsday in order to be useful. It may be nice to own a tank during the apocalypse but there’s not much you can do with it until things get really crazy. The recommendations below can have places in the lives of average Americans whether doomsday comes or not.
Note: The information provided by this publication or any related communications is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. We do not provide personalized investment, financial, or legal advice.
Secured Wealth
Whether in the bank or held in a retirement account, most Americans feel that their life’s savings is relatively secure. At least they did until the last couple of years when de-banking, geopolitical turmoil, and the threat of Central Bank Digital Currencies reared their ugly heads.
It behooves Americans to diversify their holdings. If there’s a triggering event or series of events that cripple the financial systems or devalue the U.S. Dollar, wealth can evaporate quickly. To hedge against potential turmoil, many Americans are looking in two directions: Crypto and physical precious metals.
There are huge advantages to cryptocurrencies, but there are also inherent risks because “virtual” money can become challenging to spend. Add in the push by central banks and governments to regulate or even replace cryptocurrencies with their own versions they control and the risks amplify. There’s nothing wrong with cryptocurrencies today but things can change rapidly.
As for physical precious metals, many Americans pay cash to keep plenty on hand in their safe. Rolling over or transferring retirement accounts into self-directed IRAs is also a popular option, but there are caveats. It can often take weeks or even months to get the gold and silver shipped if the owner chooses to close their account. This is why Genesis Gold Group stands out. Their relationship with the depositories allows for rapid closure and shipping, often in less than 10 days from the time the account holder makes their move. This can come in handy if things appear to be heading south.
Lots of Potable Water
One of the biggest shocks that hit new preppers is understanding how much potable water they need in order to survive. Experts claim one gallon of water per person per day is necessary. Even the most conservative estimates put it at over half-a-gallon. That means that for a family of four, they’ll need around 120 gallons of water to survive for a month if the taps turn off and the stores empty out.
Being near a fresh water source, whether it’s a river, lake, or well, is a best practice among experienced preppers. It’s necessary to have a water filter as well, even if the taps are still working. Many refuse to drink tap water even when there is no emergency. Berkey was our previous favorite but they’re under attack from regulators so the Alexapure systems are solid replacements.
For those in the city or away from fresh water sources, storage is the best option. This can be challenging because proper water storage containers take up a lot of room and are difficult to move if the need arises. For “bug in” situations, having a larger container that stores hundreds or even thousands of gallons is better than stacking 1-5 gallon containers. Unfortunately, they won’t be easily transportable and they can cost a lot to install.
Water is critical. If chaos erupts and water infrastructure is compromised, having a large backup supply can be lifesaving.
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies
There are multiple threats specific to the medical supply chain. With Chinese and Indian imports accounting for over 90% of pharmaceutical ingredients in the United States, deteriorating relations could make it impossible to get the medicines and antibiotics many of us need.
Stocking up many prescription medications can be hard. Doctors generally do not like to prescribe large batches of drugs even if they are shelf-stable for extended periods of time. It is a best practice to ask your doctor if they can prescribe a larger amount. Today, some are sympathetic to concerns about pharmacies running out or becoming inaccessible. Tell them your concerns. It’s worth a shot. The worst they can do is say no.
If your doctor is unwilling to help you stock up on medicines, then Jase Medical is a good alternative. Through telehealth, they can prescribe daily meds or antibiotics that are shipped to your door. As proponents of medical freedom, they empathize with those who want to have enough medical supplies on hand in case things go wrong.
Energy Sources
The vast majority of Americans are locked into the grid. This has proven to be a massive liability when the grid goes down. Unfortunately, there are no inexpensive remedies.
Those living off-grid had to either spend a lot of money or effort (or both) to get their alternative energy sources like solar set up. For those who do not want to go so far, it’s still a best practice to have backup power sources. Diesel generators and portable solar panels are the two most popular, and while they’re not inexpensive they are not out of reach of most Americans who are concerned about being without power for extended periods of time.
Natural gas is another necessity for many, but that’s far more challenging to replace. Having alternatives for heating and cooking that can be powered if gas and electric grids go down is important. Have a backup for items that require power such as manual can openers. If you’re stuck eating canned foods for a while and all you have is an electric opener, you’ll have problems.
Don’t Forget the Protein
When most think about “prepping,” they think about their food supply. More Americans are turning to gardening and homesteading as ways to produce their own food. Others are working with local farmers and ranchers to purchase directly from the sources. This is a good idea whether doomsday comes or not, but it’s particularly important if the food supply chain is broken.
Most grocery stores have about one to two weeks worth of food, as do most American households. Grocers rely heavily on truckers to receive their ongoing shipments. In a crisis, the current process can fail. It behooves Americans for multiple reasons to localize their food purchases as much as possible.
Long-term storage is another popular option. Canned foods, MREs, and freeze dried meals are selling out quickly even as prices rise. But one component that is conspicuously absent in shelf-stable food is high-quality protein. Most survival food companies offer low quality “protein buckets” or cans of meat, but they are often barely edible.
Prepper All-Naturals offers premium cuts of steak that have been cooked sous vide and freeze dried to give them a 25-year shelf life. They offer Ribeye, NY Strip, and Tenderloin among others.
Having buckets of beans and rice is a good start, but keeping a solid supply of high-quality protein isn’t just healthier. It can help a family maintain normalcy through crises.
Prepare Without Fear
With all the challenges we face as Americans today, it can be emotionally draining. Citizens are scared and there’s nothing irrational about their concerns. Being prepared and making lifestyle changes to secure necessities can go a long way toward overcoming the fears that plague us. We should hope and pray for the best but prepare for the worst. And if the worst does come, then knowing we did what we could to be ready for it will help us face those challenges with confidence.
