The title says it all-"Surviving an Ice Storm Without Power". You notice it didn't mention anything about surviving an ice storm when you have power. That's pretty easy. Normally, winter storms aren’t really an issue. Unfortunately they can occasionally be a REALLY BIG issue if you aren’t prepared for them.

The biggest problem can be getting home and staying inside. When and if you're able to hunker down for the duration, you're ahead of the game.  Big storms, like the one we're expecting, have a tendency to knock out power, leaving some without heat, light, or a way to cook while you’re stuck at home.

Here are some things you need to consider now so that you’re ready before it hits:

Staying Warm - This is probably the most important.it doesn't matter how much food and water you have socked away if you freeze to death! If you have a fireplace or a wood stove, you've got it licked. If this source of heat isn't available, body heat can make a big difference. So if you have a spouse, significant other or kids, jump under the covers and keep that body heat contained. If you have a dog, they also provide heat. So, become buddies with your man's best friend.

Clothing - Layer, layer, layer. Remember to wear a cap or hat. you can lose a lot of your body heat through your head. Keep it covered!

Water - Here's one that's pretty important. The rule of thumb is a gallon a day for each person to take care of drinking and cooking/bathing etc.  You don't want to be stuck in a house for several days and either your pipes freeze or your water supply from the city or well stops for some reason. A reminder that you can still use your stool even if your water supply isn't. 

  • Flush your toilet with a bucket of water. It requires a gallon of water, poured directly into the toilet bowl.
  • Start slowly at first, then quickly add the rest of the water into the bowl. The shape of the toilet and the pressure from the water in the bucket pushes everything through the pipes.
  • There’s no need to use the handle or empty the toilet tank. Save the water in the tank for another day of water restrictions.
     

Food - Get your necessary staples-bread, milk, peanut butter, cereal, protein/snack bars. You're most likely not going to go through more than 12-24 hours without electricity. A reminder to keep your refrigerator door closed as much as possible. Food will stay refrigerated for about four hours as long as the kids aren't standing there with the door open trying to figure what they want to eat or drink. As long as the temperatures outside is around the freezing mark, mother nature is also providing you with a solution. A long as you have proper ventilation (and only then), bring your gas bbq grill into the garage and use it if necessary. Once again, make sure you have proper ventilation; Otherwise, don't attempt this.

All in all use common sense. As always, the key to all this is to have a plan.

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