During the first power outage I can remember, I was in grade school. There was a terrible storm with lightning flashing and thunder rumbling several times per minute. After one particularly loud peal of thunder, the lights went out.
Suddenly, the house was eerily silent except for the sound of rain and my parents fumbling around in the dark. My dad yelled, “Where’s the flashlight?” and my mom yelled, “I don’t know, where’d you put it?” They continued to bicker and search for a flashlight while I felt my way out of my bedroom and into the hallway.
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Feeling scared of the darkness in the hall, I started running toward the sound of my parents, only to stub my toe, fall down, and start crying. That just made them more annoyed.
I’m sure a similar scene plays out in countless homes every time the power goes out at night, but it doesn’t have to be this way. To avoid this sort of scenario, you should keep a flashlight in every room and everyone should know where it is. Additionally, you should have something called a “Lights Out Box.”
A lights out box has everything you need in one place during a power outage. That way you’re not stumbling around in the dark trying to find things. In this video, The Peaceful Prepper explains the concept in more detail.
Here’s what she keeps in her lights out box:
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- Glow Sticks
- Batteries
- Matches
- Lighter
- Whistle
- Flashlights
- Battery tester
- Power bank
- Extra cords
- Playing cards
- Battery charger
- Emergency radio.
- Chem lights
- Lantern
Watch the video below for more info.
I have Coleman lanterns, spare glows for them, Coleman Stoves, lots of fuel for them all, flashlights out the kazoo with spare rechargeable batteries, solar chargers for all types of rechargeable batteries, handheld amateur radios with LiPo batteries, three battery radios two with crank and solar panels, a 200 amp hour battery bank plus several 8 amp hour SLA batteries, a covered charcoal grill, spare water for two weeks at 4gallons a day and a plethora of oil lamps with fuel for weeks. I also have battery operated H-F radios that work on 12V from my trucks and a 10 kw generator mounted in my old GMC pickup. Do I really need any more “stuff”? And, no, I live in a rural area, not a city or town. I live on a hill and can see the wretched refuse coming a long ways away along with radio comma with my not so close neighbors. We support each other very well.
Good idea! Gathered my supplies for our “lights out” box and now it is easy to find and in one place.
My friends in CA—-
Always have gas in your car.
If the power comes on for a short period of time or you can make it to a charging station use a multi port plug. Charge everything- phones, headlamps, lanterns…. Several people charged things as they drove to and from showers and library. Get a charger for your car lighter if you do not have a USB port already.
NO candles–too much chance of fire. Be very careful with fire. The paper logs- very cool- but put off lots of fly away ash. I’ve seen several houses burn down over candles and poorly managed fires.
Sterno- indoor cooking
Solar outdoor lights- they can be moved inside at night. They are short lived, but they will last a few hours of comfort and can be recharged. Attach a few of them to plastic milk gallons to push the light out.
LED flashlights. They last longer on the batteries.
Remember your water and phone will probably go out as well. Always store water. Think of a back up plan for communication.
Portable solar chargers–but now you are looking at pricy—but it is almost the holiday season.
California is a test station. The entire grid is old….
Best thing at night when the power goes out ??
Go back to bed.
Nothing you can do about it.
Zero reason to make a huge deal about what likely is nothing.
If power is still out in the morning, well then it’s light out and you can worry needlessly to your hearts content.
Also some additional things. An oil lamp and a supply of oil. Also candles and water proof lighter or a lighter of any kind is useful. Also water proof matches works. Dry wood for outside use to make a tepee fire for cooking is helpful as well. Fluorescent duct tape for the time of darkness to see ones way works well. Its like having battery power without the need for any batteries at all. Always be thinking about more ways to produce light is a good idea. Stay tuned.
We use two shelves in an upstairs linen closet for emergency supplies. First aid, different types of batteries and lamps/flash lights. Will it be dark up there when the power goes out? Yep, that’s why I carry a “tactical” flashlight clipped to my front pants pocket. Not to mention the ones on bedside tables.