Tag: severe weather

The recent blizzard in the Northeast may not have been as bad for New Yorkers as anticipated, but it was bad enough to cause power outages to thousands.

When we hear power outage, we naturally think “generator.”

Here at Emergency Plan Guide, we have looked several times at the pros and cons of generators while we considered purchasing one for our own neighborhood. And we have told the story of what happened AFTER we purchased it, too!

Today, as we head into National Severe Weather Preparedness Week (February 3 – 7), it seems a good time to add one more piece of information to the discussion.

Generators can be dangerous!

Here are three things to keep in mind as you consider the purchase of a new generator and/or get ready to turn yours on.

1. Location. The most important safety alert has to do with where you place your generator. You know that the off-the-shelf, standard generator kicks out significant quantities of carbon monoxide (resulting from the burning of fuel). Too much CO in the air can render you unconscious and kill you. In fact, According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), unintentional CO poisoning claims more than 400 lives a year, and about half of those are due to generators.

To protect yourself from the dangers of CO, run your generator outside and place it at least 20 ft. from the building, further if there are any doors, windows or vents. In particular, never run your generator in the garage, even if you keep the door open.

2. Connection. When the generator is running, it can power a number of appliances (as long as its fuel lasts). Use a heavy-duty outdoor electrical cord (10 gauge or better) with grounded plug (the three-prong one) to run from the generator outside to the appliances inside. Adding a heavy-duty power strip at the end in the house will make it easier to plug in the appliances.

Do the math!  Add up the wattage of the appliances you intend to plug in to make sure the generator can support that load.

3. Protection. NEVER NEVER NEVER plug the generator into a wall socket in the house! First, a generator cannot power your whole house so from a power standpoint, that’s useless. Second, and more important, the power from the generator flows through the house and into the power grid. Workers working on repairs to the grid could be electrocuted because of YOUR generator!

For more about generators,

check out these Emergency Plan Guide posts:

•  Before you buy a generator . . .
•  The Best Generator for Emergencies
• When Less is More 

And if you are thinking “generator” you also need to be thinking “carbon monoxide alarm.”

Read our review questions before you purchase anything.

Carbon Monoxide Alarms and Detectors

You may not be anticipating any severe weather, but please forward this information to friends who are right in the path of these winter storms. Thanks.

Virginia
Your Emergency Plan Guide Team

Prevent a disaster!

Some serious driver training represented in this photo!

You may not know that I drive a 1985 Porsche 944. I’m the original owner; the car is a “daily driver” and and I’ve had such fun with it, on race tracks, autocross courses, and hill climbs. The first week I had it, though, I almost killed myself. Fortunately, I didn’t, and after 28 years of excitement I can truly say it has been repeated drivers’ training that has kept me safe.

This message is for “above average drivers like me.”

You may be like 80% of all drivers, who think they are “above average.” (There have been many studies, both in the U.S. and in Europe, that have resulted in similar findings. Check out Wikipedia: “Illusory Superiority.”) All that confidence disappears, however, when you find yourself hydroplaning in the rain, or sliding sideways downhill on an icy shoulder.

And what about your “above average” children? Are they truly prepared for emergency driving? Would you trust them to drive in severe weather conditions? Do they know what to do when they’re suddenly in a skid?

Of course, we avoid driving when conditions are dangerous.

Sure, that makes sense. But in a real emergency, you may be required to drive – and that’s when training will be invaluable.

But when it’s necessary . . . ?

Nearly every Drivers’ School has a special course as a refresher for teens or for experienced drivers who want to sharpen their driving skills. It may take you a while to find the right one in your local area. Start by going online to your favorite browser and typing in combinations of the following words, followed by the name of your city:

• Bad weather or wet weather driving course
• Hazardous weather driving training
• Slick road survival
• Skid school
• Emergency driving course

First, you’ll just find advice.  But what you’re looking for is the opportunity to get actual experience – a class that gives you extended time behind the wheel on a skid pad or directly on wet pavement, ice or snow. Taking such a course is intense, exciting, and FUN! I’ve done ‘em all, with the exception of snow; most recently, I took a course right here in Southern California that featured emergency stops plus throwing the car into a 360 degree spin. I loved every minute!

Just like any other emergency preparedness skill, once you have practiced, you have a much better chance of reacting rightly instead of wrongly when necessary.

Consider giving an emergency driving skills course as a gift — to yourself and other family drivers. You’ll never regret it!