The autumn season is finally here! September brought refreshing rain, so much needed, and a cooler temperature. This time of year also marks the start of hunting season, and September is preparedness month! I have mentioned how to get started in a previous article for newcomers in prepping. For the individuals who are already preparing, this is the right season to recap their prepping and their plans.
It is also a great time to review your notes and revise your plans. Changes might occur; a road that you were planning to drive might go under construction, or the route that you thought was safe, you saw on the news that gets flooded regularly, or pieces of gear that are supposed to be good are not performing and need replacement.
I would like to share an experience I had a couple of days ago and the observations I made about that particular matter. As I said a few days ago, there was a power outage due to a severe storm in my area. The power was down from around 19:00 until after midnight, which put to the test some of my preparations for such matters. Below I am listing the things that worked and the things that I have to change or get.
Things that worked
- Headlamps, flashlights, and candles. It was easy to access this equipment, and I had no problem finding it. I always keep a flashlight in the kitchen drawer, another on a bookshelf, plus the lights on my cell phones. At my daughter’s room door, I have installed a set of Christmas lights that are battery-powered. That helps illuminate the room with enough light to see basic objects and also creates a warm atmosphere. Keep in mind that I had put them there when she was younger and was afraid of the dark.
- A small radio playing music and books were our entertainment objects. Also, we started a nice conversation on one or two different topics. I also have cards, but there wasn’t necessary this time.
- Since we live in an era of electronics, having one or two power banks charged and ready to be used is a great idea. My sister’s cell phone battery was at 20%, so I gave her a power bank to charge it.
- I used a handheld VHF/UHF radio to contact a friend of mine who lives half a mile from my location. That was a nice test for our communications plan. I didn’t try the CB radio, though.
Things that didn’t work
- I tried to use a gas(butane) lantern for illumination. Unfortunately, it did not operate well. A smell was coming from the top of it, and I didn’t like the noise. So, I turned it off and left it outside. My father felt discomfort from that smell, and since he is a cancer patient, I have to protect him from such things. I will get one or two camping lanterns, battery-operated, to replace that.
- I keep a couple of water bottles for emergency purposes, but I have to get a couple of dozen more. The same goes for batteries, and since I am planning to get camping lanterns, I have to buy extra batteries. My preparations for this failed.
- I don’t have a second way of cooking other than the electrical kitchen. I do have a small stove that can be used to boil water for coffee, tea, or dehydrated meals, but I have to buy a nice camping stove that I could use to cook food in an emergency.
- Since the power went off, the refrigerators can keep cool for 24 hours. It is a vital need to buy a generator. This will be my number one priority this season.
All these matters are noted, and I write them down in my logbook, where I keep other notes for my prepping. As you can understand, prepping is never-ending; it is an involved process that allows you to become better each day, with every problem solved and lesson learned.