We thought we were in a safe area. The elevation in upstate South Carolina was in the foothills of the Blue Ridge mountains. No hurricanes come here. Or so we thought. Less than two months after we bought and moved into our forever home, we got a lesson in storm survival essentials.
When Hurricane Helene hit, our power was out for nine days. Wifi remained out for 18 days. We learned a lot about storm preparation.
The good news is we had a lot of necessary storm prep tools on hand. I put together my list of items that I think are necessary for when your power is out for days. When you have kids, challenges like power outages and major storms are tougher to handle. These storm survival essentials will have you prepped and ready.
It’s part of the Storm Prep series. we cover household document essentials, surviving wildfires and prepping your home for storms and disasters.
Storm Prep Essentials for Power Outages and Natural Disasters
The days had already started getting shorter, so lights were essential every evening. Things like rechargeable lights, flashlights and extra batteries are on all of our storm prep checklists. But there are a few additional tools that helped us weather the storm and we were grateful to have them. The small comforts make the biggest impact.
Rechargeable lights- Having this rechargable work light was so helpful. We used it as a torch to see in the bathroom, we used it walking in the house in the dark. It has been one of the best purchases.
We use it for projects like fixing drains or working in dark corners around the house. But, it was the MVP during our long power outage after the hurricane. Get one on Amazon. You will not regret having this light.
Extra batteries- This is a no-brainer and we were not well stocked prior to the power going out. We had just moved in to our home 2 months earlier and had not fully restocked all of our normal supplies. Batteries were one item that I forgot about.
My husband did not think the hurricane was going to be bad up here so we did not prepare as much as we should. Stock all sizes of batteries you need for flashlights and electronics that are battery-powered.
Flashlights- Grab extras and have each kid label their own. These help with fun explorations and essentials like going to the bathroom. Always a necessary survival prep tool to keep on hand.
Solar Charger- What an asset this was! My husband received this solar charger as a gift about 10 years ago. He rarely used it and I was starting to wonder if it was really necessary to keep around. For charging phones and battery packs, it became a great tool during a long power outage.
We could set it up outside where the sun was shining and charge phones. Definitely worth it to have it in your storm prep essentials supplies. Click to view the newer version of the solar power bank on Amazon.
Gas grill, burner or camping stove- Because our appliances were all electric, we could not cook meals in the house. The good news is we had some gas powered cooking appliances outside that were a blessing.
Our outdoor turkey fryer burner, gas grill and Blackstone were game changers for making meals during this time. I could boil water for our prepper meals easily. We could grill sandwiches and breakfasts on the Blackstone griddle. It just made life a little easier to have hot meals a couple of times a day.
Get a gas grill or propane burner to have at the ready for a major power outage. Even a little Jetboil can help you boil water to use for making coffee in the morning.
Pour-over Coffee Maker- This device has saved our mornings more than a few times! Pour-over coffee or a French press are great tools for when the power is out. They make great coffee anytime, but are essentials for us mamas in the mornings. We used a Chemex, but a French press is great too.
Prepper meals, or just add water food packets- These meals in a bucket were our lifesaver for eating during the storm aftermath. If we had not had these ahead of time, we would have been eating pb&j sandwiches multiple nights in a row. Stores were closed for a bit and many were not taking credit cards, so we were very blessed to have these Ready Hour prepper meals ready to go. We made most in boiling water that we boiled with our outdoor turkey fryer burner.
The food packets that make cheesy broccoli rice would work here too. Stock up on canned soups, vegetables and “just add water” food packets for meal times.
Puck lights (or push lights)- Get a set of these puck lights or push lights! We accidentally had these on hand and they have gotten us through in multiple power outages.
I have them in my kitchen as under-cabinet lighting, so when the power goes out they just unhook from their base and can be carried where needed. I used these in the each bathroom, used one to read at night before bed, and they help illuminate the room for a family board game or relaxing time in the evening when it is dark. They are so versatile.
Craft kits or supplies– The kids needed activities to keep them occupied because our schedule was wonky for a few days. Everyone was advised to stay off the roads due to trees and power lines down after the hurricane hit. So, we spent the time at home doing yard renovation projects and the kids spent time crafting.
Keep your craft supply stocked and have bins of toys ready for the kids should the power go out. So many kids these days spend free time watching television or playing video games. When those are not available during a power outage, it inspires the kids to get back to creativity. Always a good thing even when the power is on. Create a few craft kits to have on hand should you need them now or when the power goes out.
JASE Medical Kit– Keeping medications on-hand that can help in cases of an emergency are essential. Read more about the JASE Kit to be prepped for medical challenges during storms or natural disasters when you cannot get to an emergency room or doctor in time. (Disclaimer: Always consult a medical professional before taking medications of any kind.)
Patience- Yep this is a necessary supply item every day of parenthood, and especially when life challenges pop up. Storm aftermath, clean up and power outages count as challenges for sure. It stretches our comfort levels and forces us to dig deep to set an example of patience for our children.
Be the thermostat, not the thermometer is a great quote that Ginger Harrington shared years ago. Set the temperature of your home to using the outage time to spend more time together as a family. Go on walks, play board games, read books, craft together and just keep reminding each other that life is still blessed even in challenges.
Gratitude- It all leads to a more grateful mindset when life throws us growth experiences. That is what going 9 days without electricity taught me and my family.
We were grateful that we were in our home and not still living in our RV at the time of the outage. We were thankful to be in the country and not in the city because so many had chainsaws and trucks to clear roads for their neighbors. We were able to get back to a semi-normal life fairly quickly.
Even though we went 9 days without electricity, took cold showers during that time, and life was not in total balance, we remained grateful for a roof over our heads, games to fill our time and the quality time together as a family.
The Bottom Line: Prepping for the Storms
Even in the hardest times we can learn something and teach our children valuable lessons. I hope we never have to go through the same challenge again of dealing with a storm to the magnitude of Hurricane Helene. But, the reality is we probably will experience a power outage a few more times.
This list of storm prep essentials is what we will keep stocked for every storm ahead. They are prepper essentials that I will not go with out after the experience of a long power outage.
Have you dealt with long power outages or storm damage? What were your essentials for keeping life as normal as possible during that time?
