Is Leap Year Really Necessary?
Can you imagine what life would be like on Earth if someone had failed to figure out we need a Leap Year every four years?
Well, right now we’d have winter conditions, but the calendar would say June 2025. That’s because it does not take exactly 365 days for the Earth to revolve around the sun.
That annual journey requires approximately 365.25 days. For those of you keeping score at home, it’s actually 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes, and 45 seconds.
Unless we account for that extra one-quarter of a day each year – or one day every four years – everything gets discombobulated.
New Year’s Day in the summer?
We wouldn’t notice the lack of Leap Years for a while. But eventually, our calendar year would get out of sync with our solar year.
For example, New Year’s Day would start to come earlier in winter than it does now. Then it would occur in the fall. And after about 780 years, it would match up with the summer solstice.
Because this is not an exact science, adjustments have been made through the centuries. In 46 B.C., when Julius Caesar figured out we needed a Leap Year after many years without one, he added 80 days to the calendar.
Then around 1575 A.D., Pope Gregory XIII took 10 days off the calendar and declared that three out of every four Leap Years ending in 00 should be skipped.
The way things are currently set up, we will not have a Leap Day in the years 2100, 2200, and 2300. We did have a Leap Day in 2000 and we will again in 2400.
Stock market doesn’t like Leap Years
Most people are in agreement that a Leap Year is needed nearly every four years. But some folks consider Leap Years to be bad luck.
They point to stock market downturns and crashes in 1992, 2000, and 2008. In the 10 Leap Years since 1984, the average annual stock market returns have been less than 8%. In non-Leap Years since then, they’ve been 23%.
Others look at the explosion of Covid-19 in 2020 as another Leap Year harbinger of bad news. U.S. presidential elections occur in Leap Years, and we all know the upheaval they’ve caused the last couple of decades.
There is also a superstition that getting married during a Leap Year is bad luck. And it’s even worse to get hitched on a Leap Day.
Earth’s orbit is slowing. Which may mean no more Leap Year
Now, I don’t expect any of us to be around 4 million years from now. In fact, it seems difficult to believe human beings will still exist on Earth.
But if we were, we wouldn’t need Leap Years, according to scientists. That’s because the Earth’s orbit is slowing, ever so slightly, due to tides.
In fact, eventually we would need to delete one day from the calendar every few years – rather than adding one – to keep the passing of seasons and the calendar aligned.
But I don’t think we need to worry about that yet. For now, the lesson seems to be don’t mess with solar. And that goes for solar power as well as keeping our calendar straight.
With our vulnerable electric grids, we need solar-powered devices to function properly. Solar is the key to emergency preparedness. Blackouts are on the increase, both in number and in length of time.
This year you have an extra 1,440 minutes
Depending on solar power rather than electrical power is a serious subject. And I hope you’ll take it seriously. But I want to end with a few Leap Year fun facts. Maybe you can impress family and friends with your knowledge of this special day.
- During a leap year, you have an extra 1,440 minutes to use.
- Famous people whose birthday is February 29 include motivational speaker Tony Robbins, jazz musician Jimmy Dorsey, and actors Dennis Farina and Antonio Sabato, Jr.
- There are approximately 10,000 members of the Honor Society of Leap Year Babies.
- People born on a Leap Day are sometimes called “leaplings.”
- The twin cities of Anthony, Texas and Anthony, New Mexico claim the title of “Leap Year Capital” of the U.S.
Do you know what is just about as rare as February 29? A deal that gives you a free mini solar generator with the purchase of a larger one. And this deal expires, fittingly enough, today, on Leap Day.
5 Common Mistakes People Make When Trying to Keep Food Cold
With the recent arctic blast of cold air still fresh in our minds, keeping something cold doesn’t feel like much of a challenge. That unwelcome polar vortex covered nearly the entire country and resulted in ridiculously low temperatures for over a week.
But now that America has thawed and we can move our fingers and toes again, we’re reminded of something. Keeping food cold when the power is out is not so simple. No matter how cold it is outside.
During a power outage, food can spoil quickly. As a general rule, food in a refrigerator should be good for four hours after the power goes out. In a freezer, it should stay safe for 24 to 48 hours.
Obviously when an outage lasts longer than that, you’re in danger of losing the food you worked hard to buy. And what you need to feed yourself and your family.
These errors could cost you
Unfortunately, too many people have wrong ideas about how to protect their food. And then they pay a price for their errors.
Best case scenario, they have to throw out food they thought they were protecting. Worst case scenario, they get sick from eating it.
Today I want to share with you what I consider the 5 most common mistakes folks make while trying to keep their food from spoiling during a blackout.
So, let’s get started.
Please… DON’T store your food in the snow
Sometimes what seems to be perfectly logical is not necessarily a good idea. Taking food that’s starting to get warm and putting it in something cold would seem like the right thing to do.
Alas, that’s not the case with placing food in snow. The U.S. Department of Agriculture warns against this practice.
One reason is that the sun’s rays (even through clouds) could warm your food more effectively than snow will keep it cold.
A second reason is that critters could access your food. Or at the very least, contaminate it with their very natural but unsanitary habits.
Stop checking on it
During a power outage, there is a natural tendency to want to make sure refrigerated and frozen foods are still good.
But unless you have a little man inside your fridge calling you to communicate that information, opening those doors is a mistake. Each time you do it, warm air gets in, which shortens the lifespan of your food.
So, unless you need to remove an item from your refrigerator or freezer in order to eat it or cook it, keep those doors closed.
In order to keep your refrigerated food at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or lower, keeping the door closed should give you those four hours you need to avoid spoilage.
There IS a right way to load up your fridge & freezer
A second common mistake when it comes to trying to keep food cold during an outage is randomly placing food in your fridge.
First of all, try to keep your fridge and freezer as full as possible. Food stays safer in fuller compartments than in half-full ones. If that is impossible, at least group your foods together rather than having them spread out.
Also – and this is equally important – strategically place your food in the fridge depending on what it is. Keep fruits and vegetables on higher level shelves, with meat, poultry, and fish on lower level shelves.
Why? Because heat rises, even inside a refrigerator. The bottom section of your refrigerator is colder than the top, so that’s where you want to place foods that benefit from colder temps. Such as meat, poultry, and fish.
Ice is your friend in an outage
If a blackout lasts long enough, you’re going to need to transfer food from your fridge and freezer to a cooler. If you have ice you can place in that cooler, it will significantly lengthen the life of your food.
So, keep a bag of ice in your kitchen freezer, as well as in your basement or garage freezer, for this situation. And, of course, make sure your kitchen freezer ice trays stay full. You can also use frozen gel packs.
Freezing water in Tupperware containers is another way to have ice available. Be careful not to fill those containers, however. They could break because water expands when it freezes.
What if you have food in a cooler with ice but the outage continues? Eventually you’ll want to put that cooler outside. Just make sure no critter can get inside it.
When in doubt, throw it out
Some people make a decision as to whether to eat something by the way it smells. Or by taking a small taste of it. That’s like determining whether or not a gun is loaded by pulling the trigger.
Some foods can start to spoil without any telltale signs. It may smell fine or may even taste OK. But if it’s starting to spoil, you could get sick from it.
The best way to ensure if a food item has spoiled in a fridge or freezer that has lost power is with a thermometer inside it. They’re affordable and very useful. If you have a newer fridge, it will display temperatures on the outside of the door.
If you don’t have a thermometer or a newer fridge, err on the side of caution. And remember this phrase: when in doubt, throw it out.
A lifesaving 25-cent hack
Before I let you go, let me share a hack you may not be familiar with. Let’s say you’ve been outside your home for a while. When you come home, you realize the power is out. But you don’t know how long it’s been out.
The solution to this dilemma is to have a cup of frozen water in your freezer with a quarter placed on top of the ice.
When you return home, if you see that the coin sank into the ice, that means the power has been out for a while. If it’s still on top of the ice, then the power must have gone out very recently.
The key is to use wise methods to keep your food cold in an outage, and avoid the 5 common mistakes above. If you have any other tried and true methods to accomplish this goal, please share them in the comments section.
Ways to Stay Warm and Keep Food Cold During Winter Outages
With the seemingly unending winter storms continuing to pelt most of the nation, power outages are inevitable.
In fact, millions of Americans have already lost power this winter. Due to blizzards, heavy rainfall, and tornadoes.
There is plenty of winter weather to come. And it’s certain to bring more outages. That makes figuring out how to keep yourself warm and your food cold is important.
That’s what I want to talk about today. There are a number of things you can do to make miserable winter weather bearable.
Break out the blankets: How to warm up
First, let’s take a look at ways to keep your home as warm as possible during a blackout. Some are pretty simple, while others you may not have considered before.
- The single best thing you can do to keep warm in your home during an outage is to use a solar-powered generator. It will allow you to keep lights on and use helpful items like heated blankets.
- Keep your curtains open during the day if the sun is out. And keep them closed at night. You’ll get a greenhouse effect during the day, even if the air is cold outside. And at night you’ll keep some of that cold air from seeping in, especially if you have thick curtains.
- Keep doors closed in rooms that are seldom or never used. That will help keep cold air from those rooms out of the rooms you use more often. And help keep whatever warm air you’ve got going in some rooms out of those unused rooms.
- As much as possible, get all of your household members to spend as much time as possible in one room. That will limit the number of rooms you need to heat through other means. And there’s definitely something to be said for body heat.
- If you have a gas oven that is not dependent on electricity, cook meals each day. That will help spread some heat throughout your home.
- If you have a fireplace, this could be a good time to use it. Some of the heat produced by the fire will escape through the flue, of course, but some will also move into the room where family members are gathered. Candles can also produce heat, but caution must be taken.
- The older your home is, the more likely there are some air leaks in your windows and frames. Applying tape or plastic can help keep that air outside where it belongs.
- Insulate water pipes to keep them from freezing and possibly bursting. Keep a slow but steady drip coming from each faucet in your home.
4 hours until your food’s at risk…
And now it’s time to take a look at how to keep your food cold during a winter power outage. Not to mention certain medicines that need to stay cold.
As a general rule, food in a refrigerator should be good for four hours after the power goes out. In a freezer, it should stay safe for 24 to 48 hours.
But when an outage extends longer than those time periods, that spells trouble. You’re in danger of losing the food you need to feed yourself and your family.
Fortunately, there are some tips and tricks to help you keep your food safe longer. They just might come in handy next time a power outage occurs in your neck of the woods.
Keep those doors closed
Here’s something to always remember. When the power goes out, there is a temptation to open the freezer and refrigerator periodically.
Understandably, people want to check on the status of their food. But don’t do it. Every time those doors open, warm air gets in. That shortens the life of your food.
Keep your freezer and refrigerator doors closed except for removing an item you want to cook or eat right away. Or quickly moving some items from the refrigerator to the freezer.
The magic temperature is 45 degrees Fahrenheit. If you can keep your food at that temperature or lower, it should be safe to eat. Keeping the doors closed will help.
Food safety tip: meat down, veggies up
Whenever possible, keep your freezer and refrigerator full. Food will stay safe during a power outage in a full freezer longer than in a half-full freezer. Same with your refrigerator.
If your refrigerator or freezer is not full, at least group your foods together. Rather than having them spread out.
Because heat rises – even inside a refrigerator – the bottom portion of your refrigerator is colder than the top.
So, keep meat and fish in the lower levels. Fruits and vegetables can be placed on the higher shelves.
Stock the freezer with…water
The more ice you have available, the better you can keep your food cold during a blackout.
In addition to filling your ice trays regularly, place a couple of bags of ice in your kitchen or garage freezer.
You could even freeze water in Tupperware containers. But don’t fill them, because water expands when it freezes. It might break those containers.
When a blackout extends beyond several hours, you can put ice in coolers. Then move some food from your freezer and refrigerator to those coolers.
And if it’s colder outside than inside, you might want to set those coolers outside your door.
Thermometer beats a taste test
Earlier I mentioned you don’t want your refrigerated food to get above 45 degrees. The best way to ensure that is by keeping a thermometer inside your refrigerator and freezer.
These thermometers are inexpensive. They are a big help in determining whether food has gone bad during and following an outage. Newer refrigerators have displays on the outside of the door to let you know your freezer and fridge temps.
If you don’t have a thermometer, don’t make the mistake of testing your food by tasting it. You’re better off throwing something out than getting sick from eating it.
Refrigerated perishable food will go bad after four hours. Including meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk, and leftovers. When in doubt, toss it out.
FREE Freedom Fridge? Yes!
So, if your power is out and you’re approaching the time when food could start to go bad, what do you do? The answer is the solar-powered and portable Freedom Fridge from 4Patriots. And for a limited time, you can get one for FREE.
When you claim a Patriot Power Generator 1800, you’ll score a FREE Freedom Fridge on us. It weighs only 17 pounds and it can keep your food cool or warm!
You can run this food locker for up to 30,000 hours over its lifetime. And while it’s perfect for an emergency situation, you can also take it with you for RV trips, camping, or even the grandkids’ soccer games.
You probably already know all about the Patriot Power Generator 1800, but just in case, here’s a quick reminder. This generator, charges up for free in the sun or with an electrical outlet, is fume-free and silent. So, it’s safe to use indoors. And you can plug your Freedom Fridge right into your generator to charge up too!
And to top it all off, you’ll get 2 FREE solar panels to charge your generator and Freedom Fridge. Plus, free shipping and handling.
Hurry, this deal is only available until midnight 2/1.
America’s Infrastructure Isn’t Built for This…
When was the last time you looked at a U.S. weather map and saw clear skies across the country?
I honestly can’t remember the last time for me. And it’s not just isolated winter storms here and there. They’re all over the country almost every day. Some are so massive they cover dozens of states.
They say El Niño is responsible. This weather pattern normally brings wet and warm weather with it. Well, we’re getting the wet, but not so much the warmth.
Nearly the entire country was recently in the grips of a brutal arctic blast. No offense to El Niño, but it is no match for a polar vortex. The vortex will send El Niño to the canvas every time they enter the ring together.
Outages All Too Frequent
Recent winter storms, blizzards, and tornadoes resulted in well over 1 million homes and businesses losing power. Not to mention over $1 billion in damages.
Now, if our country’s infrastructure was solid enough to handle severe winter weather, hearty Americans could deal with it. Even the most violent storms and arctic blasts subside eventually.
But the problem is that our frail, aging infrastructure is incapable of handling extreme weather. Power outages occur almost every time a winter storm breaks out.
People shiver in their homes and try to survive until power comes back on. Sometimes that’s only a matter of hours. Other times it can be days or weeks.
70% Caused by Weather
It’s easy to say extreme weather affects our country’s infrastructure. But let’s take a closer look at why this happens.
The U.S. Department of Energy tells us 70% of power outages in the U.S. are caused by weather-related grid disruptions.
The actual cause of those disruptions is usually strong winds and falling trees damaging transmission lines. Consider yourself fortunate if you live in a neighborhood where transmission lines are buried underground.
Another major problem is overloaded systems. When temperatures get too cold, everyone is running their furnaces more than usual. And when it gets too hot, air conditioners get a heavy workout.
This puts a strain on the electric grid and can overload the system. These days, rolling blackouts are used to avoid a total collapse. They are an inconvenience, but are worth it if they prevent a long-lasting blackout.
Ice & Flooding Contribute
During the winter, even if no trees fall on power lines, ice can accumulate on those lines. That can result in equipment being damaged and wires going down. Widespread blackouts can occur.
Flooding is another big issue, especially in the South. As well as when winter snow turns into rain in other parts of the country as temperatures warm.
That flooding can cause power disruptions due to damaged equipment. It can also make roads impassable.
And if utility crews can’t access the impacted areas due to flooding, power outages last even longer than they would otherwise.
Power Failures Can Be Deadly
Winter storms not only affect the availability of electrical power. They also result in economic losses. Without power, many businesses have to temporarily shut down. It’s estimated that $150 billion in losses occurred in the U.S. in a recent year due to weather.
Communications are also negatively affected by the increase in the number and severity of winter storms. Phone networks and Internet services have been temporarily shut down. Which means it’s impossible to reach emergency response crews.
Grid failures have led to many deaths from the cold. Those unable to bug out must hunker down. And that doesn’t always end well.
And even the survivors have to deal with infrastructure damage caused by the storms. The grid often requires costly and time-consuming repairs before things return to “normal.”
You Can’t Count on FEMA
For those counting on FEMA to save them in an emergency, well, I admire their faith. But I question their logic.
The truth is, the government probably won’t be able to get to you soon enough to help you avoid the misery power outages cause.
By its own admission, FEMA is understaffed and underfunded. That’s why their website encourages people to prepare as much as possible.
They know they are incapable of doing what they were designed to do. Especially during those first crucial 48 to 72 hours. If FEMA realizes that people need to prepare for emergencies, we certainly should as well.
Working on the Problems
Now, the government is well aware of these problems. And there are a number of initiatives underway to combat them.
They are working on smart grid systems with advanced monitoring systems. They‘re encouraging the use of solar panels and wind turbines to reduce reliance on centralized grids.
Another project is microgrids, which are more localized and can work independently when a widespread grid failure occurs.
They’re trying to improve early warning systems. That could result in preemptive power shutdowns and the reinforcement of vulnerable infrastructure.
Take Matters Into Your Own Hands
That’s all well and good. And I’m glad they’re taking the situation seriously. But the bottom line is, none of these fixes are going to help us in the near future.
Extreme weather isn’t going away. By all indications, it will continue to ramp up. That means more frequent storms and more severe storms.
It’s up to every American to protect themselves and their families with backup power. You might not be able to afford an entire home generator system, but backup power of any kind can at least keep some devices functioning.
And that could mean the difference between life and death.
One Man’s Quick Thinking Saves Lives in a Winter Storm
Survival often requires quick thinking and even quicker action. Learn how one man rose to the challenge and saved lives in a recent snow storm.
Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — December 12, 2023
On December 12, 1915 popular singer Frank Sinatra, who also achieved wide success as a film actor, was born in Hoboken, New Jersey. And on December 12, 2019, the British General Election was won by Boris Johnson’s Conservative Party in a landslide win with an 80-seat majority. The same day, the Scottish National Party also […]
Tips for Preparing & Transporting Food This Holiday Season
OK, let’s get the rough stuff out of the way first. The CDC tells us the following happens every year in America:
- 48 million people get sick from foodborne illnesses. That’s one out of every six of us.
- 128,000 people are hospitalized because of foodborne illnesses.
- 3,000 people die from foodborne illnesses.
A foodborne illness is sometimes called “food poisoning.” It is caused by eating or drinking something contaminated with germs. Such as bacteria, viruses, or parasites. Or chemicals including toxins or metals. Often we cannot smell or taste these contaminants.
Sometimes we purchase food and beverages that are already contaminated. That’s due to poor quality control. Other times we allow contaminants to form and grow through improper care of them.
Those most susceptible to food poisoning are adults 65 and older, children under 5, and pregnant women. As well as people with health issues. Or those who take medications that weaken their body’s immune system.
You can prevent food contamination
The good news is there are a number of things we can do to help prevent foodborne illnesses.
Food is a big part of the holidays. A successful holiday gathering is dependent upon food being fresh, tasty, and safe.
And in many homes, gatherings are rather large. Parents, children, grandparents, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, cousins… you get the idea.
Thanksgiving, Christmas, and other holiday gatherings are on the horizon. Now is the time to look at how we can prepare, transport, and consume food safely. Without worrying about loved ones becoming ill.
Because nothing will spoil a holiday gathering like food that makes people ill or worse.
Foodborne illnesses are common
Unfortunately, this happens more often than we think. We’re especially vulnerable to these foodborne illnesses during the holiday season. Because it’s also the cold and flu season.
And because table spreads frequently include more dishes than there is room for in a standard refrigerator.
Here are some recommendations for preparing and transporting food safely during the holidays. Of course, these tips are helpful anytime of the year.
- Wash your hands with soap and water before, during, and after preparing food.
- Cook food thoroughly. Foods such as meat, chicken, turkey, seafood, and eggs can carry germs. Make sure they’ve been cooked to a safe internal temperature.
- Keep food out of the danger zone. Between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit, bacteria can grow rapidly. Refrigerate or freeze any perishable food within two hours.
- Use pasteurized eggs for dishes containing raw eggs. Including eggnog and Caesar dressing. Harmful germs can live on the inside and outside of otherwise normal-looking eggs.
- Keep foods separated. Prevent juices from meat, chicken, turkey, seafood, and eggs from leaking onto other foods. Keep them in sealed plastic bags or containers.
- Thaw your turkey safely. Two ways to do this are in the refrigerator and in a sink of cold water. If you’re using the latter method, change the water every 30 minutes.
- Depending on how long you travel to reach your holiday gathering, make sure to keep your prepared food cold or hot along the way. Such as in a cooler or portable fridge that can do both.
- Refrigerate leftovers promptly. When you’re feeling as stuffed as the turkey, it’s tempting to lounge around the dinner table. Get leftovers in the fridge within two hours of preparation (not within two hours of eating).
And here’s an odd one. Robert Gravani is professor emeritus for food science at Cornell University. He says letting a dog lick a plate is better than returning a grilled steak to the plate it was on while raw.
Letting Fido lick a plate is “mostly OK,” he said. While returning a grilled streak to its original platter and then eating it is “very risky.” He also emphasizes the importance of washing produce properly. And not consuming a pizza for breakfast that sat out all night.
Keep that turkey frozen
Many people eat turkey during holiday gatherings. But they seldom cook turkeys during other times of the year. So it’s easy to forget some of the basic rules.
Regardless of whether you transport a turkey to a holiday celebration or make it at home for your guests, here are some reminders:
- Turkeys must be kept frozen until you are ready to start the thawing process. This can be an issue due to freezer space a turkey needs. But it’s important.
- When a turkey is in the danger zone of 40 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit, bacteria causing foodborne illness can start growing.
- It’s important to wash your hands and all surfaces that have been in contact with the raw turkey or its juices.
Avoid cross contamination
Carrie Masterson is a ServSafe certification course teacher with Penn State Extension. Here’s what she says.
“I’ve seen where turkeys have been stacked up in pyramids in those freezers and that really presents a risk factor. Because the ones on top are further away from the freezer. When you’re buying your turkey, it should be rock solid frozen.
“You want to make sure that when you’re preparing the raw turkey that you are very careful not to splash or spray any of the raw juices onto other foods or surfaces that other foods will come in contact with.
“It’s really best to prepare the ready-to-eat foods before you prepare any raw foods, to decrease the risk of cross contamination.”
Your delivery strategy
Before we conclude, let’s revisit transporting food for a moment. As mentioned, you want your hot/warm foods to stay that way. And the same for your cold foods.
Keep hot foods 140 degrees Fahrenheit or higher by wrapping them in foil. Or carry them in insulated wrappers or containers designed to keep food hot.
Keep your cold foods at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or lower by placing them in a cooler or insulated containers with cold packs.
Once you arrive at your destination, ask the host to place your cold food in a refrigerator and hot foods in an oven. Use a food thermometer to ensure they remain at the designated temperatures.
Please chime in
Now it’s your turn. I’m willing to bet you have some tried & true holiday dinner tips for our readers.
Whether you’re cooking at home for guests you will entertain or transporting food with you to a gathering.
I hope you’ll take the time to include a few of your tips in the comments section below.
Who knows? You may save a fellow patriot from a foodborne illness and a bad holiday gathering experience.
Comparing Portable Generators With Home Standbys
No matter where you live, you’re probably at risk of a power outage. From storms and winter weather, grid attacks, or even a squirrel on a power line.
Over the past 10 years, power outages in the US increased by 64%. Once a blackout hits your area, you’re left defenseless and in the dark. Sometimes with no way to cook, keep lights on, or power your home security system.
The only way to avoid losing your electricity? Or to take it with you on-the-go? Backup power.
But how do you know what type of backup power option to choose? Read on.
You may need gold for the ‘gold standard’
Dave Trezza tests generators for Consumer Reports. He says, “Home standby generators are expensive, but they’re the gold standard in backup power. If you can afford it, I’d tell you to pick a home standby generator every time.”
Not surprisingly, these full-home power solutions are very expensive. Depending on the size of your home and the power you need to generate, they can run from $12,000 to $22,000 or more. Installation can be extra.
Trezza tested home standby generators against gas-powered generators (but not against solar-powered generators). He said home standby generators outperformed all of them.
In addition to their high cost, home standby generators require a significant amount of fuel. Somewhere in the range of 13 to 48 gallons of liquid propane or natural gas per day. Yikes!
On the plus side, home standby generators are relatively quiet. And they don’t need to be covered due to weather.
Portable generators offer convenience
A much more affordable option for most people is a portable generator. And even if you are fortunate enough to have a home standby generator, a portable generator is a handy item to own.
You never know when you’ll have to bug out. Or wish to take your generator to a campsite or anywhere else where you will need power.
Portable generators are also very convenient. You can easily move them from one room in your home to another.
A power outage is never fun. But chances are you don’t need electricity in every room of your home until that power returns. A portable generator will run the items you need most in the rooms where they’re located.
Make sure it’s solar-powered
Are you in the market for a portable generator? If so, there are a number of features to consider. While far less expensive than a home standby generator, they are still an investment. So, the right decision is essential.
First and foremost, make sure it’s a solar-power generator. Gasoline-powered generators are loud and smelly. They require a lot of expensive gasoline. Sometimes up to 12 to 20 gallons per day. And in a blackout, gas might not be pumping at your local station.
Gasoline generators have also been responsible for many carbon monoxide illnesses and deaths. Especially when owners don’t use them correctly.
In their panic to provide electrical power when an outage strikes, people can forget to keep it at least 25 feet away from their dwelling. Or they leave windows open and allow dangerous fumes to enter their home. Gas-powered generators also need to be protected from the elements.
Quieter, lighter, and fume-free
The advantages of a portable solar generator over a gas-powered generator are numerous.
One is they’re quiet. So quiet you can even place it in your bedroom at night. Which is important because some folks depend on them to keep medical equipment running. Including CPAP machines.
Portable solar generators are also much lighter in weight than gas-powered generators. They are easily transported from room to room. And easily carried to a car or RV for use outside the home.
These fume-free generators also start up very quickly. That can be crucial for powering your fridge and freezer. Especially if you arrive home not knowing how long the power has been out. It also means getting lights back on in a hurry. And powering your cellphone.
Preparation = peace of mind
At the end of the day, if you can afford a home standby generator, it’s a great solution. Of course, it assumes you’ll be able to stay in your home when a crisis hits. To cover your bases, a portable generator makes a safe option.
But if you want to combine affordability with safety and convenience, the choice is clear. Obtaining a portable, solar-powered generator will be a decision you never regret.
It will be there if you have to hunker down in a blackout. And it will be ready to grab and go if you have to bolt out the door.
Like a good friend, it won’t let you down. But it will provide you with the peace of mind you can only get by being prepared.
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Know the variety of wonderful tea tree oil uses and benefits especially for your survival, here! RELATED: 3 Medicinal Essential Oils Your Medical Kit Should Always Have Tea Tree Oil Uses Survivalists Should Know Essential Oils and Tea Tree Oil for Survival People used essential oils for healing and medicinal purposes for many centuries now. […]
It Will Never Happen to Me… Right?
Every state has emergency response teams and equipment designed to deal with crises caused by extreme weather, natural disasters, and other serious problems.
And when an issue caused by one of these events overwhelms a state’s capacity to deal with it, FEMA moves in to assist.
Sounds like a good system, right? On paper, yes. In reality, often no. Emergencies frequently overwhelm states’ abilities to handle them. And it takes time for FEMA to move in with its workers and resources.
While Hurricane Hilary was pounding Southern California as a tropical storm late last month, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria summed up the situation perfectly: “We’re not built for this kind of rainfall.”
If every state and FEMA official were perfectly honest, they’d be saying the same type of thing regarding their ability to handle extreme weather events and other crises.
You Can’t Count on Help
Cities, counties, and states are just not built for the kinds of emergencies Americans are facing these days. They try, but they don’t have the funding, manpower, and equipment necessary to deal with most crises in a timely manner.
Often the result is the lack of the basic necessities of life – electrical power, food, and clean water – until the situation is resolved. Which can require anywhere from several days to several weeks.
In addition, crises cause blackouts and supply chain issues, which result in food shortages and higher prices.
The answer to this dilemma is becoming self-sufficient so we’re not dependent upon help from the government. It means getting out of the “It won’t happen to me” mindset, making a preparedness plan, and executing it when necessary
Showing Up in Odd Places
The main reason Americans are becoming victims of emergencies more often these days is the increase in both the number of extreme weather events and their intensity.
But another reason is that some of those severe weather events are occurring in areas where they rarely or never occurred before.
Whoever heard of a hurricane affecting half the country? Yet that’s what happened with Hurricane Sandy.
It made landfall in New Jersey, which hadn’t had a major hurricane in decades, but its effects were felt as far west as Illinois. Sandy ended up killing 48 people and leaving millions without power.
And when was the last time a tropical storm struck California? Florida, Louisiana, Texas… sure. But Southern California? It was virtually unheard of.
The storm produced heavy rainfall, high winds, flooding, and mudslides. And it was accompanied by an earthquake. Evacuation orders even occurred in Arizona due to this storm.
Storms Are Getting Stronger
With global sea levels rising each year, hurricanes are becoming more intense. One that might have only caused minor flooding several decades ago is now causing major flooding. Just last year, Hurricane Ian became the deadliest storm to hit Florida since 1935.
Tornadoes are also becoming more frequent and fiercer. They’re knocking out power for more people and destroying more property, especially in the Plains and Midwest.
And then there are derechos, such as the one that slammed Iowa so hard in 2020. It included sustained winds of 70 miles per hour and spawned a tornado outbreak.
Wildfires are also growing in both number and acreage of land being torched. The West and Northwest are particularly vulnerable, thanks to arid conditions and lightning strikes.
Not Preparing Is Illogical
Why don’t more people prepare for emergencies? Especially those caused by extreme weather events.
Sometimes it’s because they are so used to hearing about bad things happening in other regions of the country that their area seems safe to them.
And even after people do experience a severe weather event, they think it’s unlikely something that serious will ever happen to them again.
Educators and psychologists have studied why people don’t prepare for extreme weather after going through it.
Selective Memory Is a Disadvantage
Robert Myer is co-director of the Risk Management and Decision Processes Center at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
“People actually have a really good memory of past storms that they’ve been through,” he said. “But what people tend to forget, which often causes laxness in protection or preparation, is what it really felt like to go through these storms.
“It seems really bad at the time, and you have people thinking, ‘Next time I’m going to really fully prepare; I never want to go through this again.’
“Then three or four months later, you remember the event but forget what it felt like.”
A Plan Beats a Dice Roll
Failing to remember how difficult it was to get through a bad situation – including power outages, food shortages, and a lack of clean water – or believing something like this could “never happen to me” are the equivalent of rolling dice and hoping for the best.
Everyone’s luck runs out eventually. A much more logical – and safer – way to deal with the situation is to assume something bad will happen and prepare for it.
For example, creating a family emergency plan and putting together or purchasing a comprehensive survival kit.
We’ll all face some kind of crisis sooner or later. Those who prepare for it will almost always fare better than those who don’t. Instead of thinking, “It’ll never happen to me,” we should put ourselves in the position of saying, “It just might happen to me… and now I’m ready.”
