Do you know what happens when the power goes out in the retail stores where you live? I decided to check out a few gas stations located within a mile or two of my home to see what they do when the power goes out. I wanted to ask two different facilities to get a feel for what they would do in a power outage. I’m updating this post from 2016.

First Gas Station

One clerk who looked to be about 25-30 years old, basically said to me “I don’t know what we would do if we lost power”.

He did say the gas pumps wouldn’t work, but he had no formal training as to what to do in this situation. I then asked if they had a backup generator, and he responded that no they didn’t. I then asked if people could still buy stuff inside the store without power since obviously, the cash registers wouldn’t work without electricity. He said, no. I was shocked, to say the least, that he had zero training for a power outage and how to respond.

Second Gas Station

Then I headed to another gas station and asked what is the protocol if their facility was to lose power. This gas station had a woman and a man standing there as clerks and they instantly blurted out what they were trained to do. “We lock the doors and no one is allowed inside the store until there is restoration of power.” The pumps won’t work, but the water outside can be used to drink, fill water containers or radiators. They went on to say that they couldn’t accept cash, debit cards, or credit cards for any food items inside the store and gas couldn’t be purchased.

This is exactly why I always recommend keeping our gas tanks at least 1/2 to 3/4 full. If we need to evacuate our homes, our cars must be serviced well and filled with gas. I don’t want to be caught off guard by an empty gas tank.

When The Power Goes Out In A Grocery Store

Okay, then I called my favorite grocery store there in Southern Utah to see what they are trained to do when the power goes out. I was told I need to talk to the store director. I asked when I could talk to him, he said, “Be here tomorrow at 9:00 a.m.” I drove the next morning to meet with the store director, he was awesome!! These are the things I asked him, along with his answers:

  1. What do you do if the power goes out? “We will keep the doors open until the backup generators go out.”
  2. So you do have generators? “Yes, they will work for about two hours, after that we will order a system that will be delivered by truck from Salt Lake City, Utah that will increase the power for an extended period of time. Until it arrives we will have to be closed.”
  3. How long can you keep the food cold? “The generators only keep the store lights on, the registers running, and the entry doors working. Coolers and freezers take too much power to be kept running by the generators.”
  4. Has the staff been trained on what to do immediately after any power outage? “They will move the cold dairy and meat products to a larger cooler refrigerator in the back of the store that will keep the food colder for a while. They will open that cooler door as little as possible to keep the cold inside to protect the food from going bad. If someone wants a ham, the staff will walk back and get them a ham, for instance, in the larger cooler.”
  5. Will you lock the doors? “They will not lock the doors until all power sources are exhausted.”
  6. Will solar power support your freezers or cold storage areas? “No, they will not.”
  7. Can you still sell things without electricity? “Yes, they have the ability to take debit and credit cards for up to 4,000 transactions.”

We Also Need to Have a Plan if the Power is Lost at Home

We hear about stores running out of food and other necessities very quickly once people realize they may be without necessary items for an extended period. Most of us don’t think about what happens to the items in the store that need to be kept cool/frozen or they begin to spoil. Even the perishable items in the produce department won’t last very long without periodic sprays and cooler temperatures.

When I think of having a power outage in the Southern Utah area where I used to live, I get very concerned. There are times in the summer months when the average daily temperature will be between 105 and 108 degrees during the day. Whether the store or your home is out of power, particularly in very hot and/or humid areas, food in your fridge or freezer isn’t going to last very long. Be sure to try and keep these appliances closed as long as possible. If you do have to open them, have a plan in mind regarding what will be removed so you don’t have the appliance doors open for an extended period.

Take some time this week to evaluate your personal situation as a family. What is your plan if the power goes out? Having water is critical so you don’t get overheated or dehydrated. Have as much water as possible stored on site so it is readily available. Have alternative ways to cook other than your electric or gas stoves.

What are some steps you can take to be best prepared for a power outage at home?

You never know when you might lose power. The outage causes could be a vehicle running into a power pole resulting in a downed power line. A strong storm can also cause power line issues. The local electric company can accidentally cut an underground line during road repairs or new neighborhood hookups. These situations not only can cause the loss of power but can create some hazardous situations, particularly if power lines are laying on the ground.

Let’s discuss some things to consider as you put your home emergency plan together:

Communication

You need the ability to stay in touch with the outside world so you get notifications from local news outlets and local officials about what’s happened and what the estimate might be regarding timeframes for crews to perform the needed repairs. Many utilities have a service where they send outage alerts by text message or there may be email alerts. Of course, most of your electronics won’t be working long if the power is out.

I have a hand crank weather radio so I can get the latest news without having to leave the house. We also have walkie-talkies so we can stay in touch with many local friends and neighbors. Cell phones should work unless the outage has brought the nearby cell towers’ service down.

You might want to consider some uninterruptable power supply (UPS) units in your home to keep those desktops, modems, switches, etc. up and running for a few hours if you lose power.

Cooking Options

Some people plan on that handy BBQ or charcoal grill to perform cooking chores if the power goes out. They’re great to cook some things like meat, but not so well suited for boiling water, cooking bread, heating soup, and so much more. Consider buying a quality camping stove that uses propane or butane. I also have a Sun Oven that is awesome in locations that get a lot of sunshine each day. If you have room in your yard you can also put in a firepit where you can cook over an open fire.

Be sure to have matches, a lighter, and extra fuel no matter what device(s) you plan to use.

Have some lighting sources available.

Years ago candles were the mainstay to light up a room. I’ve got some in my emergency inventory, but I tend to worry about possible fires when they’re put to use. That’s why I have plenty of flashlights and extra batteries. I also have a bunch of solar-powered flashlights and lanterns. I store the solar units on my window sills so they’re being charged all the time and are ready to go. The energy efficiency of those solar units is amazing, and they are basically hassle-free.

Be sure to check the expiration dates on those extra batteries so you can get a new supply as needed.

Backup Power for Your Medical Devices

We have family members who need to use a CPAP device to sleep at night. There may be others in your family who need humidifiers or have other medical needs where electronic devices are necessary to get through the day since they are power-dependent. I really like and can recommend the backup power units from a company called Goal Zero. They come in a wide range of sizes and power capacities that can fit the bill for a particular purpose.

Consider what options you may have to keep certain medicines that require a cold environment properly protected. The Goal Zero units may be just the trick to run a small cooler or ice chest running.

You can get full house or smaller power generators. We have friends who love theirs since they automatically come on if the power goes out and they run until their full is depleted. The storage of the fuel can be an issue, so do your homework before making a purchase. If you can find a unit that runs on natural gas that may be your best solution.

Keeping Food Cool or Frozen is an Issue

Have a plan in place to move your fridge and freezer food to a larger and very efficient cooler. Yeti is a brand that makes great products you can rely on. Find out what it takes to have some dry ice available since it keeps food cold for a much longer period. You can keep your foods colder longer if you keep from opening the fridge and freezer only to take out food for immediate meal preparation.

Water Purification/Filtration is Critical

If you have an ample supply of water stored and ready to consume, more power to you. We have 160 and 250-gallon tanks with water that has been treated with a product called Water Preserver. It is great stuff that keeps your water safe to drink and cook with for up to five years. We also have some smaller water containers from Water Brick that prove to be very handy since they are lighter and can be stacked or stored on shelves or under your bed. We love our Water Bricks.

It’s also smart to have some filtering systems that can be used when the power is out. A gravity-fed system from Big Berkey works great, or check out the units from PortaWell since they use a battery-powered pump that can filter over 60 gallons per hour.

You’ll Need to Stay Warm

It seems that the power often goes out in cold weather and at night. Be sure to plan ahead and have extra quilts, blankets, sleeping bags, and warm clothing, just in case.

Please Have Ready:

Final Word

Let’s all plan ahead and be ready for the unexpected, including the loss of power. Let me know what you think needs to be added to my list of suggestions for things to consider if you power goes out.Thanks again for being prepared for the unexpected. May God bless this world, Linda

Copyright Images: No Power Depositphotos_16977403_S