What Would You Do? Power Outage in Idaho During the Winter

What would you do? What would you do if you were at home this winter, warm and cozy, watching a Christmas movie and your power went out? Would you stay home and hope it comes back on quickly? Would you start a fire? Would you go to somebody else's house? Would the time of day depend on what you do or the day of the week? Having your power go out is never fun, but when it happens in the winter in Idaho it raises a few problems that you don't face during other parts of the year. If for some reason the power does go out this winter, what would you do?

No Power in Idaho

Anytime the power goes out, it causes stress, and boredom, and is inconvenient. When it goes out in the winter, it becomes more about survival. Idaho winters can be bitterly cold and any extended amount of time without heat can be vital. It can be important to keep any pets you have such as lizards, snakes, frogs, or fish warm. It can be vital for little ones, especially newborn babies. There are ways to stay warm, such as throwing on extra clothes, and blankets, or beginning a fire, but if you have a wood-burning stove, you won't be able to blow it out into the home and will have to be curled up next to the fire. The good news is that you won't have to worry about food going bad, as it will stay frozen in or out of the fridge. There are some options on what to do, but if this happens, it will ruin your day and there will be some decisions to be made. 

What to do During a Power Outage During Idaho Winter

When the power goes out, the hope is that you sit for a few seconds, perhaps a couple of minutes, and then it will come back on. When that doesn't happen, you begin looking for candles, flashlights, your phone, or some sort of way to see and then begin thinking of a plan. The best option is to first contact the power company and see if it is something they are aware of, a timeline, and who else could potentially be out of power. Depending on your circumstance and how cold it is, you might look to go to a friend's house, a family member, or perhaps a hotel room if you have neither in the area and it is expected to be out for a while. If starting a fire is an option that is a good way to buy time, and bundle up, but at some point, it won't be enough, if it is too cold that night. Hopefully, you have a generator or some sort of backup, but if not, you may have to find a new location for the night. 

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Hopefully, this isn't a concern for anyone as we enter the cold days of winter in Idaho, but it is always good to have a plan and be prepared. Knowing there is a warm place to go if something happens will take the stress off, and being prepared to stay warm if you are without power for days is something you should always plan for in Idaho. You never know when a big ice or snowstorm could come through and knock out power. If you find yourself without power one cold winter night, what would you do?