The situation
It's a Thursday evening. A storm rolls through. The lights flicker once, twice, and then they're gone.
The whole street is dark. Your phone says 40 percent. The power company's website says the same thing it always says: restoration time unknown.
Most blackouts last a few hours. Some last a few days. Here's how to handle both.
What I'd do
The first ten minutes
Reach for a flashlight, not a candle. Candles start house fires, and a blackout is the worst time to have one.
Look out the window. If the whole street is dark, it's the grid. If it's just your house, check your breaker box. Then report the outage to your power company.
Unplug your TV, computer and anything else with a screen. When the power comes back, it can come back with a surge. Leave one lamp switched on so you'll know the moment it returns.
And keep the fridge and freezer shut.
The first night
A closed fridge keeps food cold for about four hours. A full freezer holds for about two days. A half-full one, about one day. Every time you open the door, you lose some of that.
Save your phone for the calls that matter. Turn the screen down and switch on low power mode.
Pick one room and live in it. It's easier to keep one room warm, or cool, than a whole house.
If it goes on for days
When in doubt, throw it out. Food that's sat above 40 degrees for more than two hours isn't worth the risk.
If you run a generator, run it outside. Never in the house. Never in the garage, not even with the door open. Keep it at least 20 feet from the house, with the exhaust pointed away from windows and doors.
The mistake people make
They bring the heat indoors.
A generator in the garage. A charcoal grill in the kitchen. A camp stove to warm up the living room. Every bad blackout, folks get hurt this way.
Carbon monoxide has no smell and no color. You won't know it's there. If anybody gets a headache, feels dizzy or sick to their stomach, get everyone outside into fresh air and call 911.
Do this this week
Two things. Fifteen minutes.
First, put a flashlight in every bedroom. Check the batteries. Put spares in the same drawer.
Second, get a carbon monoxide alarm with a battery backup. If you already have one, press the test button tonight.
Cole's Rule: Light from a flashlight, warmth from a blanket, and nothing that burns indoors.
Got a question, or a lesson from your own life? Hit reply. I read every one.
See you next time.
— Cole