It is an origin story as almost as legendary as Mrs. O’Leary’s cow and the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. According to reports, after an overloaded power line that was hit by a tree branch in Ohio, operators at Akron-based utility company FirstEnergy failed to redistribute the overloaded transmission due to a software bug in the control room. Within minutes, eight states in the Midwest, Northeast, and large parts of Canada were without power.
It’s hard to believe that it’s been 20 years since the Northeast Blackout of 2003 hit New York City on a hot Thursday afternoon in August. A lot of New Yorkers remember walking down tens of flights of crowded stairwells to exit their office buildings. Others, who weren’t as lucky, remember inching their way along grimy walls through tunnels as they exited stranded subways in near total darkness.
Eventually, after long walks home, Gotham made the best of it. Ice and batteries became a commodity as street parties went on through the late summer night into the morning. Within 30 hours power was restored to most of the city. But it would take up to four days for the lights to come back on in some areas.
10 Ways to Prepare Yourself
You never know when the power will go out. Proof of this happened nine years after the Blackout of 2003 when Superstorm Sandy plunged the city into darkness again. Preparing for a power outage is essential to ensure your family’s safety. We’ve got some tips to help you get ready:
1 – Emergency Kit:
Create an emergency kit that includes essential items like batteries, candles, matches, a portable phone charger, and a first-aid kit.
2 – Flashlights and Batteries:
Keep multiple flashlights in easily accessible locations around your home. If you rely on your phone as your flashlight, that battery will drain really fast.
Make sure you have a good supply of fresh batteries to power your flashlights and other devices.
3 – Power Banks:
A 10,000mAh power bank should be able to charge your smartphone up to three times.
Solar-powered chargers or power banks can be useful for charging small devices.
4 – Food and Water:
Open your refrigerator only when you absolutely need to.
Stock up on non-perishable food items like canned goods, granola bars, ramen noodles.
Keep a case of bottled water in the back of your closet.
5 – Hand-Operated Can Opener:
Have a manual can opener on hand for opening canned foods. That electric one isn’t going to work.
6 – Medications:
Make sure you have enough essential medications.
If you rely on medical equipment that requires electricity, have a backup power bank.
7 – List of Contacts:
Keep a list of emergency phone numbers, that include your local utility companies and emergency service providers.
Make sure you have your family contacts.If you have internet access of your phone, mark yourself “safe” on Facebook to set your relatives’ minds at ease.
8 – Heat and Cooling:
Prepare for extreme temperatures. In winter, have blankets and in summer, stay cool cool with battery-powered fans.
9 – Secure Your Home:
Keep your doors and windows and doors locked, especially during extended blackouts when security systems might be out.
10 – Know How to Shut Off Utilities:
Learn how to safely turn off gas, water, and electricity in case of emergency.
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