Springtime and early summer are the seasons for windstorms, tornadoes, and hail in many parts of the country.
If they are common where you live, put together a power outage kit to ensure that you're prepared. Keep it in a water-resistant storage container in a location you can easily access.
The kit should include:
* A safe light source such as a battery-powered lantern, flashlights or battery-powered area lights, and extra batteries. Avoid candles.
* An assortment of hand tools including pliers, a screwdriver, a cutting blade and a wire cutter.
* Include a utility knife, duct tape, a utility lighter to light pilot lights, a fire extinguisher, and a first aid kit.
Note that if all your phones are portable, they won't work when the power is out, and you won't be able to charge your cell phone.
Other items you will want to have available are a battery-operated radio for news updates and instructions, a battery-operated clock, prescription medications, and pet supplies.
There could be a long wait before power comes on, so know where you can find your favorite books, decks of cards, and games.
Rick Good spent ten years in the newspaper business, including with The News & Observer (Raleigh, NC) and The Greenville News (Greenville, SC). He co-wrote, with Melinda Coleman, Rutledge to Riley: Governors of South Carolina, 1776–Present (Published by The Greenville News), and is the author of Mind Games Trivia #1 (Amazon). He has recently spent 15 years creating original trivia content through Sounds Good Mobile Entertainment and continues that with his new company, SGME Software. He edits The Smart Reader’s money, real estate, and business coverage.