Just in case. What should I do to prepare for "winter power outage" ...? Illustrated

Are you prepared for a power outage?

What if a power outage occurs during a disaster such as a major earthquake or typhoon? It may take some time before power is restored, so it is important to be prepared during normal times. Just in case, we have summarized the preparations for power outages that can be done at home and the precautions to be taken during power outages in winter. [BuzzFeed Japan / Sumireko Tomita]

First, prepare for a power outage by putting a flashlight, a portable radio, and their batteries in your emergency supplies. Charge your smartphone or mobile battery in advance before a disaster such as a typhoon. In case of a power outage, it is useful to check in advance how to save battery on your smartphone, such as dimming the LCD screen. If a disaster occurs at night or if the windows are broken, it is dangerous to evacuate in the dark as broken glass may be scattered on the floor. Equip your living room or bedroom with flashlights, footwear for evacuation, and footlights that can be used in the event of a power outage. For households using IH cooking heaters, it is safe to have a cassette stove that uses a gas cylinder. If you are using medical equipment that requires electricity, prepare an emergency power supply.

What if there is a power outage? Be careful of fires

To prevent fires, avoid using candles as much as possible for light or warmth. In the event of a power outage, turn off the breaker, unplug the electrical appliance from the outlet, and make sure that the power is off as much as possible. If there is an electric appliance such as an electric heater that has the power switch on, there is a risk of fire from the wiring when the power is turned on again after the power outage ends. This is called an "electrical fire". It is also important not to place anything flammable nearby. A seismic breaker that automatically cuts off electricity when a tremor comes is useful for fire prevention.

How to prepare for power outages in winter?

Precautions for blackouts in winter

In the case of power outages in winter, it is necessary to take measures against the cold. Prepare heat-retaining aluminum sheets, disposable body warmers, blankets, cold-weather gear, etc. If you have heating equipment such as an kerosene stove that does not require a household power supply, or a stove that uses a gas cylinder as fuel, you can rest assured. When using portable kerosene stoves, ventilate the area frequently to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning. In the event of an earthquake, there is a risk of another strong tremor. Please be very careful. Source: Cabinet Office “Large-scale earthquake! )”, Meteorological Agency Sapporo District Meteorological Observatory “Disaster Prevention Memo: Winter Earthquake Countermeasures”, Sapporo City “Preparing for Winter Earthquakes”