Snowstorms and other severe weather are predicted along the East Coast. Southern Maine, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas and California are all expected to see above-average rain, snow, hail and sleet. High-altitude areas in the west could see feet of snow.
The concern is that bad weather could disrupt essential services and stop people from getting food, medical supplies and other necessities.
“What people need during extended periods without power”
Power engineer Heather Eason shared her stock-up list with UNILAD. “As a power engineer, I focus on what people need during extended periods without power,” she said.
Start with a generator. Her first recommendation is a whole-house generator with a throw-over switch.
Get fuel before the storm. She advises buying gas now, because it can sit in your garage for a month without losing its reliability to run a small engine. Adding a stabilizer to fresh gas can extend storage to 24 months.
Keep generators well away from your home. Eason says to make sure all generators are at least 20 feet from doors, windows and vents, with the exhaust directed away from the house.
Stock up on backup power and light. To keep your home going during long outages, she recommends:
