Weather safety kit

Spring is almost here. Luckily for us, this winter was not as harsh as what initial predictions were discussing. However, with Spring around the corner, that means rain and thunderstorms. This month we have two stops on the #InsuranceHomeTour2020. We will be talking about batteries, flashlights, and candles, and Sump Pump, be sure to read both articles.

As a kid, I was not too fond of thunderstorms. Sitting near the TV terrified, I waited for the red blob on the radar to be off of where we lived. Tornado warning/watches were alway consider most seriously and would be ready to take cover. I had a list of things in mind that I would want to grab to take with me too. Oh, and of course, I knew where the flashlights were. Looking back, that was pretty precious.

Nowadays, please do not ask me where the flashlights are because I do not know. Batteries? Probably won’t have the right kind or amount of batteries to work that flashlight if I found it. Now candles, I do know where those are. Should the power go out, I could certainly light some candles.

We are in an age of technology; often, we momentarily struggle to operate if the power goes out. We momentarily forget that we can’t just ask Alexa for a weather update, because she’s out too. In today’s world, we grab our phone to keep in touch with each other and news, but during a power outage, do you want to use up all your “juice” for those purposes? Even worse, do you want to use up your battery life using your phone as a flashlight? In the case of severe weather, you don’t know how long the power is going to be out. It’s not the time to be playing games on the phone either to keep everyone entertained.

Challenge

Find your flashlights around the house, check their batteries. Take a family picture with flashlights. Get creative with it! Post it to social media for your chance to win using #InsuranceHomeTour2020

Remember Power Effects nearly everything:

• Limit trips to the refrigerator/freezer: They will keep your things fresh as long as you keep the cold air inside. The more trips to the fridge, the more cold air escapes.
• Light Switches: If you accidentally flip a switch, be sure to turn it off again. Otherwise, when the power turns back on, you’ll have all sorts of lights on.
• Computers & Electronics: If you have electronics that aren’t on a surge protector, then go ahead and unplug them to prevent damage from a surge.
• If there is a power outage in the winter, then be sure to get the family together along with blankets to stay warm. If power is out too long, seek alternative shelter.

Fun things to do:

• Build a fort and “go camping” inside
• Play family board games by candlelight
• Do a finger puppet play
• Get creative and have some fun. Plenty of people have had fun without electricity for years; you can do it too!

Other Home Tour Blogs:

Water Shut-Off Valve, Batteries/Candles/Flashlights, Sump Pump