How to Prepare for and Survive a Power Outage

Preparing For and
Surviving The
Inevitable

Power Outage Causes
Power outages can occur at any time for a variety
of reasons.
It’s not just downed power lines.
Rolling blackouts during peak usage or high
winds are common in many places.
The power grid is very vulnerable to a computer
virus or physical attack.

Power Outage Causes
Electricity is vulnerable to electro-magnetic pulse
(EMP) from either a nuclear explosion or a solar
flare.
Cold weather caused a massive power outage
across Texas.
Lately we’ve seen sabotage and terrorism target
power grids. This will increase.
We’ll cover what to do before, during, and after
an outage.

Preparing
It’s too late to prepare once the outage occurs.
After every extended outage, most people list the
following items as things they wished they had
prepared beforehand.
I have direct links to all gear mentioned on the
gear page on my website:
https://www.bobmayer.com

Keep a flashlight within reach of your bed.
Below is a powerful rechargeable; a lithium
rechargeable lighter/flashlight, and a single AAA
light I keep in a sheath with my Leatherman
Flashlight & Spare Batteries

A headlamp so you can use your hands.
Battery powered on the left; rechargeable on the
right.
Candles are dangerous.
Light

Since I list a rechargeable lighter on the previous page,
power becomes an issue. I used to focus on using batteries
for power, because rechargeable requires, well, charging.
However, I’ve become a fan of solar, which allows a
renewable power source from nature.
This particular model is good because it has three charging
cables built in on the back.
Licorne Solar Charger 36800 mAh.
Power

I have an entire presentation devoted to basic Solar Power.
One impetus for me to get interested in this, besides the
practicality, was to have a power source that we can use as
a backup. In our previous house we had a whole house
generator, which was nice.
Also, a generator powers off fuel, which will run out.

I have an Anker 6800 with extra battery for emergency
power along with over a 1,000w worth of solar panels
It can run my house for 2 days if I conserve energy. It
recharges from solar panels.
I go into solar in more details in that presentation.

If you have medical equipment, particularly life-saving
equipment, that requires electricity, it is ESSENTIAL that you
have a back up power source. The key is battery power.
During a Texas power outage, people died because their
oxygen machines, which ran on power, failed.
There are other life-saving devices that require power.
If you do not have the means to keep them working for at
least several days, you must figure out how to do it.
Whether it’s a generator, solar, wind, water— get some
other power source!
CRITICAL!!!!!

Generators are like car engines.
The more power you draw from them, the faster
they use fuel/battery.
Turn off all non-essential items drawing power.
A portable generator must be vented. NEVER run
one inside your house or your garage.
Make sure the vent isn’t close to an intake in the
house.
Over half of the deaths in the last hurricane were
from people running generators in their houses
and near their houses that weren’t properly
ventilated— be careful!
Generators

Carbon monoxide can kill. Be very, very careful when using
a generator or even getting in your vehicle to run the
engine. Do not run your vehicle in your garage. Make sure
your generator is properly vented and outside. Don’t put
your generator in your garage.
I know a couple who died with a generator outside their
mobile home, but the vent was near a window they kept
open. They passed away in their sleep.
Do not bring gas grills indoors to ‘warm up’. It will make you
sick or kill you.
CAVEAT!!!!!

If an outage is widespread, your pumping station might
lose power. Also, your heating and air conditioning are
dependent on power.
For an extended outage, you need enough water for at
least three days.
During the recent Texas outage caused by a winter storm,
potable water became scarce due to burst pipes.
Minimum is one gallon per person, per day.
8 average 500ml water bottles is just over one gallon.
A case of water (24 bottles) is a minimum of three days’
supply per person.
I recommend at least two cases per person.
WATER

A water filter can be a life-saver.
Even the water from our tap can be
contaminated.
We always have a water filter on the tap for
our drinking water.
The one on the left is a pump filter.
The one on the right works with gravity.

Non-perishables for three days
minimum.
Food that doesn’t require refrigeration.
Don’t have food that will make you
thirsty.
Plan for infants and special dietary
requirements.
Note expiration dates.
Mountain House has a good, 25 year
expiration, supply. It is the company
that made our Long Range Patrol
meals in Special Forces.
It’s what we have on hand and in our
grab-n-go bags.
Also what I use for camping.
Food

I have a variety of ration bars:
ER Bar
Grizzly Bear Emergency Food Rations
DaTrex 3600
Below are some before going into a ziplock
bag and into my Jeep.
You store them in a ziplock bag because you
can’t reseal once opened.
Food

A small, portable stove is key.
Make sure you have plenty of fuel which comes in
various sizes from small to larger and heavier. The
stove screws onto the fuel canister. This stove is
inexpensive and has a built-in click lighter, and two
cups in the form of the case. I’ve brewed many a cup
of coffee/hot chocolate/meals with it.
Cooking Food & Boiling
Water

Know what the emergency broadcast stations are.
Below is a hand crank/solar radio/flashlight combo I
have in my Jeep and in my grab-n-go bag.
If the power outage is widespread, cell towers might
be out.
Survival Radio

There are plenty of prepared ones you can buy.
Below is one I have in house and in grab-n-go bags.
Make sure you have medications to last at least a
week.
Extra glasses, contacts, etc.
First Aid Kit

When power is out ATMs won’t work
Store computer systems will have crashed.
It will be a cash environment for a while.
Until it’s a Zombie environment.
CASH

Survivors of extended power outages say a
pre-paid calling card is a good idea to have
on hand.
Extra batteries.
Ziploc bags.
Trash bags. I’m a big fan of compactor bags
as they’re tougher than trash bags.
There are things around your house that can
be used in different ways—for example,
solar powered walkway lights can be used as
flashlights at night.
More?

Do you know where the manual release on your
garage door is and how to use it?
Don’t run your car in a closed garage for heating,
cooling, or to charge phones.
Always keep your car at least half topped off. Gas
stations rely on electricity to pump. In an extended
outage, a shortage of gasoline is always a factor.
Store at least a five gallon can of gas outside your
house.
Power Outage

Shuffle away from downed lines, with your feet close
together and in constant contact with the ground. When a
live wire hits the ground, power goes in all directions. The
voltage decreases with distance. Water is a powerful
conductor of electricity, so stay away from wet spots.
Never drive over a downed line. Even if it doesn’t have
power, it can become entangled in your car.
Downed Power Lines

Do you have a way to keep warm in cold weather or
cool in hot weather without power?
A fireplace?
Do you use gas or propane for heating? Do you
know how to manually start the pilot light if its an
electric igniter?
In either situation close all shades.
Go lower for cool; a basement is best.
Do not use gas grills inside.
For heat, wear clothes in layers.
Never use your oven as a source of heat.
Heating and Cooling

Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed.
An unopened freezer that is full will keep for almost
48 hours.
Something to help with that is to fill water bladders
than can be frozen in unoccupied parts of your
freezer. This accomplishes 2 things: you can use
those big ice blocks to keep either the freezer or
refrigerator cool; and you have drinkable water.
Food

Turn off or disconnect appliances and electric
equipment that could be damaged by a power surge
when the power comes back on.
Disconnect and turn off

A power outage that lasts more than a week can
cause problems we need to consider.
Think through all the things around your house and
moving outward that require power.
Do you rely on well water? Can you draw via hand
pump?
What about your septic system and pump?
Cell phone service might well be down as the towers
will be without power if the outage is widespread.
Extended Power Outage

If you live in a place of extreme heat or cold for
extended periods of time, are you prepared for an
extended power outage?
For example, Phoenix in the summer? If the power
went out for 10 days, what would you do?
This is something I cover in my Area Study book.

Phoenix is one of the fastest growing metropolitan
areas in the US. It also is one of the most precarious in
terms of the potential for disaster based on doing an
Area Study. It had 143 days above 100 degrees
Fahrenheit in 2024. 113 in a row. What will you do if
there is an extended power outage that lasts five days?
If you have a vehicle, keep it topped off. Never let your
gas get below half a tank and if you can, store
additional gas. With power out, gas stations won’t be
able to pump. You want to be able to get to your ERP,
emergency rally point.

The ERP for this scenario is a place in a separate grid
that would have power. Or go to higher elevation
where it will be cooler. The temperature drops as you
go up in elevation. The key is to know where you plan
on going before the disaster strikes.
If you don’t have a vehicle, can you make plans to do
this with someone who does?

If you can’t leave, follow the basic rules:
Stay in the shade.
Stay indoors during the day, lower is better.
Stay hydrated.
Take cool baths or showers.
Dress lightly, with loose clothes.
Wear a hat.
Take care of your pet.
Avoid strenuous activity.
Think through all activities before doing them.
Avoid falling— pavement or hardtop in the sun can
cause instant burns.

Throw away frozen food that has thawed or that has
an unusual texture, odor, or color.
Check with your doctor if medications have spoiled.
Restock your emergency supplies.
After

More Free Information
I’ve put all the links to free apps, all gear mentioned
and web pages on my web site at
www.bobmayer.com
Go to the GEAR page
There are also free books on my web site, updated
daily.

New York Times bestselling author, a graduate of West
Point and former Green Beret. He commanded a Green
Beret A-Team and also served in a variety of other
positions.
He was a certified instructor at the JFK Special
Warfare Center & School which trains Green Berets
and also runs the Survival, Evasion, Resistance and
Escape (SERE) school.
www.bobmayer.com

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