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Where Was Moses When the Lights Went Out? by Chuck Fenwick, Medical Corps
The power grid is down… maybe forever
There are hundreds of scenarios which can cause the loss of electrical grid power.
These include everything from a faulty relay to a strategic EMP strike
that would precede a full scale nuclear war. There are, however, several inexpensive
things which can be done in preparedness that could make the difference between
life
and death. Before explaining, “exactly what to do”, there are a few
simple rules to keep in mind.
1) If you die, it’s your fault.
2) If you don’t have the gear, you will probably need it.
3) Be flexible. No battle plan survives first contact [with the enemy]
My wife and I live on 40 acres in southeastern Ohio near its border with West
Virginia . Our nearest neighbor is a mile away, so being prepared for emergencies
comes with the territory. Even though we have incoming electricity from rural
electric, it is not to be counted on and is notoriously intermittent. From the
beginning we installed solar panels, batteries and a generator as a primary energy
source with the co-op being the backup. Recently I took the solar panels and
inverters off line to upgrade the system. The job took a week and sure enough
[soon after
I disassembled the alternate power system] the
co-op
grid went down.
I decided that it was a good time to test out my emergency lighting by firing
up a kerosene lamp. I have propane lanterns, but I wanted to use the lamps to
see how well they function. I filled the lamp with some spiffy blue fuel and
lit the wick. After a few minutes the wick turned to ash. I looked at the label
of the spiffy blue odorless lamp oil and found that it was odorless because it
was
not kerosene. It was paraffin. I tried several different things to make it “wick” properly,
but the result was that eventually the wick would burn up. Great, my spiffy blue
fuel didn’t work. Doom on you Wal-Mart.
Well, I had flashlights and those propane lanterns, but I wanted to use something
cheap, like a candle. That’s right, [I had] no candles. Doom on you, Chuck.
Finally the electricity came back on and I turned off my propane lantern and
made a shopping list. I bought real K1 kerosene and 244 count 15 hour votive
candles with more matches and a package of butane lighters. I even tested the
15 hour candles and [determined that yes,] they really burn for 15 hours so I
now
have
3,645
hours
of
votive candle light available.
Light
Candles.
Buy some. Then buy some more. Store them with matches and/or butane lighters.
Any candle will do, however, votive candles are cheap when bought in boxes of
12 or more. 36 count, 15-hour votive candles will provide over 500 hours of light.
You can even cook with them and they do provide a little heat.
The good: Candles are cheap, EMP-proof, with a little effort a low tech society
can make them, they won't tip them over and spill fuel, their shelf-life is indefinite
and they are the most portable of all lights. They are EMP proof.
The bad: Their light (lumens) is low; they are useless in wind and rain unless
they are confined. Use caution. Candles are an open flame and
can start a fire. Stored in dampness, they are not waterproof because the wick
can absorb
moisture. [JWR Adds: Also, in the aftermath of an earthquake
or landslide, open flames are a bad idea because gas lines may have been broken.
My top choice for household emergency candles are Catholic devotional jar candles.
There are cylindrical glass jars, about 11 inches tall and 2.5 inches in diameter.
Like other votive candles, their candle wax is formulated for long burning. (A
formulation that is high in stearic acid.) Watch for these on sale at discount
stores. The paper labels can quickly and easily be removed by immersing them
in
water for an hour.]
Kerosene lanterns and lamps.
Lamps are the next step up from candles and should be in everyone’s home.
Most have a ribbon-like wick and some have two wicks. Others have a shaped burner
which will greatly magnify the burn surface, producing more light. They have
been used successfully for over a hundred years and some, like the Aladdin are
quite decorative and burn brightly.
Kerosene (K1)
A lamp uses fuel. The better fuel is Kerosene. Pure kerosene has a strong odor,
but refined kerosene like K1 has less odor and still wicks properly and burns
brightly. Another fuel is the odorless paraffin lamp fuel. It does not wick (climb
the wick from the reservoir) properly unless the reservoir is at least half full.
The good: Kerosene lamps are an excellent reading light compared to a candle.
They are fairly portable depending on the way they are designed, and are reasonably
inexpensive to operate. They are EMP proof.
The bad: Most are quite fragile because of the glass used in making the globe
or chimney. They can also spill their fuel creating a fire hazard.
Lanterns
Lanterns burn brightly because they have a mantle (something akin to a little
silk sock) which when lit produces a bright white light. Used mainly for camping
they are either powered by white gas or unleaded gas. Another type uses propane
gas that comes in a screw-on cylinder. The Coleman North Star has a much longer
mantle which produces more light and uses less fuel. It is a good idea to have
at least one of each type of lantern. [JWR Adds: The Aladdin
brand mantle lantern burns kerosene. All mantle lamps have very fragile mantles,
which are little more than a meshwork of ash after they have been burned for
the first time. Don't use mantle lanterns in any application where they will
be subjected to jarring or heavy vibration.]
The good: They are extremely bright, efficient and inexpensive. They are EMP
proof.
The bad: The liquid fuel has a limited shelf-life and if spilled is dangerous.
The propane fuel is explosive if it leaks. The lanterns are quite noisy making
an escaping air sound.
Flashlights
Flashlights come in numerous sizes, shapes and brightness. Some can be recharged
from an outlet, some require replacement batteries. There are even wind-up and
shake-up powered flashlights. A flashlight is absolutely essential for the home,
car or when camping. Two notable hand-held lights are the MagLite and the Surefire.
The MagLite most used is the one like a policeman carries. It has a large adjustable
beam and the MagLite bulb has a long life span. The Surefire comes in several
sizes too, but the Surefire L2 Digital LumaMax LED is surprisingly bright. The
L2 uses lithium batteries which have a shelf-life of several years.
The good: Flashlights are a time-tested life saver.
The bad: Good flashlights can be expensive and battery replacement can be costly.
The LumaMax is not EMP proof.
PS: There are dozens of different types of flashlights. There are headlamps and
lights that attach to the belt. Some are made for mounting on the barrel of a
gun and ones that divers use. I only named two different types. There are stores
on the Internet that specialize in flashlights. Do some research and choose a
couple of different types that would suit you and your lifestyle. - Chuck Fenwick, Medical Corps
