Saturday, January 11, 2014

Emergency Blackout Boxes.

Blackout.

So you are reading this on your computer at the moment but what would you do if there was a blackout? The power goes out, the lights and plug sockets don't work and you are sat in the total darkness of a full blown Blackout. Even the Street lights are out, your neighbours lights are out and you are all in total darkness.


So what do you do?

As this is part of the Prepper 101 series for beginners I will hazard a guess that you startto talk to the other members of the family to see where they are and to get them to come all into one room. After that what will you do? As you cannot answer this so I can hear I'kll tell you what i would do because I think about prepping as a lifestyle change.
I would get the EBB or Emergency Blackout Box from under the stairs. All members of our family and selected, trusted members of our extrended family, boyfriends, girlfriends etc all know that the blackout box is made up, what is in it and where they can access it in emergencies.


This post is only a starting point for you so you might not need somethings that are in my box or you feel you might need other items then please substitute or add them to YOUR box and that is the key. IT is YOUR Box..

In My EBB for instance are the following.

Torches for each person in  the house including spare batteries for these torches.
There are also a couple of wind up torches and 2 wind up led lanterns.
There are also a selection of container candles which are basically candles held in a glass jar or a non spill holder of some description. Candles are not considered to be a safe option these days as over 85% of all house fires havecandles as a contributory factor but if you have nowt else at the moment then you need a couple of candles.

If you live withing the releative distance to another family member then you could include a set of two way radio set just for family use. Don't forget that power outages might be as simple as a short circuit in your home right the way up to an EMP strike by a Terrorist and many land lines now need an electric source to be used so if your electric is off ao will your phone.
I also have good quality head light torches for each person and very important is a few glow sticks and some reflective tape for the dog.We put some on his Collar and some on his tail with a loose elastic band and he is not bothered. Cats I wouldn't know because i hate cats and as such don't have any thoughts about what you would do with cats but I'm sure a cat lover will be along soon.  Tripping over a dog or cat is the last thing you want to do but in a blackout it IS certainly the last thing you want to do for obvious reasons that it might hurt the dog but if you were to fall and break a bone or cut yourself badly then dealing with a fracture or bleed emergency in the blackout is something you are best to avoid. Think back to the phone service being down...
The next bit isn't actually in the box but here goes. I also have a set of “remote” lights that work when the power is off. You leave these in various sockets around the home and they light up when the power is cut. Primarily these act as night lights so little bairns don't get frightened in the dark but they give out a lot of light, enough to see your way safely up and down stairs with only one at the top or bottom. Obviously more would be better but 2 will get you going. Mine also act on a PIR system so they light up for 20 seconds or so when the PIR is activated during low light levels so you don't need to go putting on the big lights everytime you go to the toilet in the night. This is an added bonus.
I also have several packs of 10 lighters, about 6 dozen boxes of matches of various types and lengths and a fire steel, vasaline laden cotton wool balls just in case we need to use the candles without a naked flame.

I also have a secondary means of cooking in the box as well. You might ask why here but the simple answer is that we know where it is. It's only a small hexe stove but it is enough to be able to make a brew because we all know the world is better after a good Brew.  

Please note: The use of the hexe stove has to be outside as it will give off noxious fumes that will probobly killl you.

Of course this is just a basic of basic kit in one area of the house that everyone knows where it is and how to use the items in it but that is a small step to the world of prepping. We also have torches andspare bateries in every draw in the house, on the back of most doors in the house and also by the beds. If you do this then you will wonder how you managed before without torches.

We have some spare wind up lanterns for giving out to neighbours, especially the elderly and the infirm  in times like these because its just the right thing to do. Some people think prepping is all guns and camo with secret bunkers full of dried food but to preppers it'sjust a way of life and if you do this emergency Blackout Box and never need it then you never need it and it sits there quietly and patiently waiting....
However if you do have a blackout and you have small children and hystericasl partners who are scared of the dark then an EBB will be a godsend to you.

Going back to the issue of candles which used to be the sole method of lighting in the powercuts of the 70's please be careful if you use candles as they can be deadly. Always put them in a holder of some sort and keep an eye on what they are doing. If you use pillar candles and open a door then the draft will suck the flame towards the door. If you have it on the window sill for example and open the door then the flame could, if you have them catch fire to your curtains.

True Container Candles are where the wax melts into a pool of wax and keeps the wick burning. Again be careful with these as you might get hold of one and the holder is hot. You drop the glas, hot melted wax goes all over the flooring which could be carpet.....

Then add in elderly or infirm people and you soon realise why it's worth going to the poundshop and buying a few of their emergency led lamps...

If you have anything else to add then please leave a comment and I'll do what I can, when I can to help make living on the edge a safer place.
Take care
Alan

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