There's ah nor'eastah coming kid.
- Fireside Gear
- Jan 27, 2022
- 5 min read
So by now, you've probably heard about the storm coming this weekend to New England. Well Apparently everyone forgot about 2015 and it is a madhouse at your local Market Basket, Hannafords, Truccis, and wally world. I just wanted to go over the basics of what you should have for a storm like this (NO, Bread, Eggs, Milk, and beer aren't it.). So here is what I would make sure you have at home before Saturday, or for the next time, and some tips on how or why you should.
Water (Watah)
you're going to need about a gallon a day per person for drinking, as much as we want to believe, we can't survive on dunks and beer. So buy some gallon jugs or packs of water bottles or fill some containers in the sink. Unless you enjoy using the bathroom outside or have an outhouse you're going to need to flush the porcelain throne. so fill your tub up with water and put a container in the bathroom to move the water to the tank to flush.
Heat:
Now, this is a serious subject. IF you lose power or heat, and you want to keep your place warm, you need to do it safely. There are items such as the Big buddy heater that is safe for indoor use IF YOU BUY THE CORRECT MODEL. Fire safety and carbon Monoxide should be your main concern while using something like this. Also, check your local laws about indoor heating. I'm going to list some do's and don'ts, this is a very basic list and common sense. If you are unable to stay warm, Call your local authorities and ask about a warming shelter.
DO:
use good judgment while placing a heat source in your home.
Use ONLY heaters intended for indoor use where the law allows.
Have a Fire extinguisher and Fire/CO alarm in your house.
Monitor for any changes in the family such as nausea, dizziness, or fatigue.
Keep heater on a solid, stable fire resistant surface such as two metal baking pans flipped upside down,
Keep Heater AWAY from kids, pets, and anything that moves around.
Keep heater AWAY from anything Flammable such as cloth, curtains, plants, paper, Etc.
DON'T:
Use Heaters that are not made to be used indoors: Forced Propane heaters, oil Heaters, Kerosene heaters, and such.
Place on or next to items that could catch fire or melt.
Everyone falls Asleep while a heater is on.
DON'T USE YOUR STOVE! ESPECIALLY GAS STOVES!!!
burn paper and other combustibles outside of a wood stove or fireplace.
Leave any portable heat source unattended.
Use a heater after a malfunction or irregular operation.
Food/Cooking:
The good thing about winter storms is if the power does go out you can put all your cold/frozen stuff outside in a bin. Cooking can become difficult with no power but there are some easy alternatives. Cooking on a gas stove if you still have a steady supply and monitor it. Sterno (canned heat) is a great way to cook as it heats up quickly and only emits a small amount of CO, Please use these with ventilation and Monitor CO with a meter or Alarm.
Remember any kind of open flame is dangerous if not used correctly.
some things to eat considering your given situation could be:
Canned goods such as veggies and fruit
Dry foods and snacks
Freeze-dried meals
Power:
So with big storms like these power loss is usually a solid probability. While we New Englanders are used to this, It's not 1880 anymore. A generator is a great investment to make although not many people have the ability to use them or the funds to get one. With that, Solar generators are fume and noise-free and are indoor safe with the obvious drawback of needing to be recharged after so long via DC/AC power or Solar. Lithium-Ion battery packs are a great way to keep your essential electronics charged such as radios, flashlights, and cellphones.
Candles and oil lamps were great for many years but it's 2022 now so it's time to upgrade. So in a pinch cheap $1 flashlights and dollar store batteries work, But they really aren't the best or reliable and in the long run, they will cost you more money. Two or three mid-quality flashlights and a Battery or rechargeable lantern are much safer and work better.
Safety:
With all this being said, you need to be safe in the end. So many people Freeze to death, burn their house down or die from CO poisoning each winter. Make sure you're being safe as possible. Check your Fire and CO alarms regularly and especially before a storm. Shut off power strips and large appliances after a power outage to prevent a surge or overload when the power comes back. Keep track of Family members, especially if they are outside during the storm. Shoveling snow can be very strenuous and causes heart attacks quite often. Every northerner has shovels, scrapers, gloves, hats, and other winter items so there should be no need to talk about them. Make sure you dress in appropriate layers for winter weather, Hypothermia isn't a joke and can happen quickly. Check with your local authorities about warming shelters and resources available to you if you need them. Tune in to local radio stations or local NOAA stations for important news and weather updates frequently. And last thing friends, STAY HOME if you do not need to be out, during a blizzard is not the time to be joy riding or going to the store for a bag of chips.
Items that were mentioned in this Article. Most of these are also available in your local retailers as well.
Links Provided may be Affiliate links, Which means at no extra cost to you, FSG may receive a small commission based on the product price. This helps keep FSG going and is greatly appreciated if you do decide to buy something!
Many thanks for joining FSG, See you again next time!
Patrick, O/O of Fireside Gear.
Legal Disclaimer:
This article is for reference purposes only. Readers should follow all applicable laws, codes, and by-laws in their area. Nothing in this article should be considered Instructions or orders to the readers. Any and or all actions taken by the readers are of their own discretion. Fireside Gear should not be held responsible for any actions taken by its readers after viewing this article.
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