CNN article on prepping for 1/7/24 East Coast winter storm

[majorhavoc]

https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/04/us/prepare-winter-storm-groceries-xpn/index.html

Latest of my semi-regular posts on mainstream media articles normalizing disaster prep.  First,  this storm likely won't be that bad - just the media trying hype interest to attract mouse clicks and eyeballs for increased ad revenue. For that reason, I'm not putting this in DICE or CEON. 

Good basic prepping info in there, including factoring babies and pets into your planning. Also always appreciate reminders about generator safety and the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning.  Plus, even though the article is rightly focused on sheltering-in, it does mention having an emergency go bag ready to grab at a moments notice.

One additional tip: if you increase the frozen mass in your refrigerator ahead of an expected power outage - say by freezing a few jugs of water and then transferring them to the refrigerated section - perishable foods will keep considerably longer than the four hours this article suggests. 

[Raptor]

One additional tip: if you increase the frozen mass in your refrigerator ahead of an expected power outage - say by freezing a few jugs of water and then transferring them to the refrigerated section - perishable foods will keep considerably longer than the four hours this article suggests.

A silly question from a tropical sea level creature here...

In a winter blizzard is refrigeration an issue? Can you simply put jugs of water outside to refreeze and then put them back in the refrigerator? That put the frozen food outside?

This is a serious question on my part since I have not been through a blizzard.

[EBuff75]

One additional tip: if you increase the frozen mass in your refrigerator ahead of an expected power outage - say by freezing a few jugs of water and then transferring them to the refrigerated section - perishable foods will keep considerably longer than the four hours this article suggests.

A silly question from a tropical sea level creature here...

In a winter blizzard is refrigeration an issue? Can you simply put jugs of water outside to refreeze and then put them back in the refrigerator? That put the frozen food outside?

This is a serious question on my part since I have not been through a blizzard.

Yes-ish.  Getting a jug of water to freeze will depend on the outdoor temperature.  If it's only a little below freezing, you might have power back before the jug finishes freezing.  But if it's very cold out, then you could do that to keep your freezer / fridge cooled.

You can absolutely put food outside to keep it frozen, just as long as the temperature is below freezing and you protect the food from the local wildlife!  Using coolers or other boxes and then putting them into a garage or shed to protect them is best.  That's assuming that the inside of your house is warm enough that they need to be cooled and that the outdoor temperature is below freezing.  If the temperature isn't staying below zero, but you have snow/ice build-up, then you can pack that around them to keep the temperature down.  This is also a common method for chilling beer at cabins or ice fishing shanties!

Last year we had an ice storm where I lost power for about 100hrs.  The items in both my freezers (chest freezer in basement, and side-by-side fridge / freezer in kitchen) stayed frozen due to a few factors:  1) I kept the doors closed on them, 2) they have very good insulation (my side-by-side is Energy Star rated), and 3) the house wasn't very warm (it was in the low 50s most of the time).  All of those factors combined so that when the power came back on, my freezer still had ice cubes in it, even after 4+ days!

[majorhavoc]

A cooler outside my door is how I've kept food frozen on those (truly rare) occasions when we've had an extended winter power outage. 

In recent years New England winters have been disappointingly mild. But even then it still reliably drops below freezing overnight.  I've never had to do it, but I've often thought that by rotating partially thawed water jugs from the fridge during the day to outdoors overnight, you could keep perishable food safe for several days. Or at least as long as it takes to consume it. Especially since indoor temps are probably below where they'd normally be that time of year if you had power.

Keeping the pipes from freezing is my principal objective during winter power outages. Everything else is - at worst - a nuisance.

[Raptor]

Thanks EBuff & majorhavoc!

First hand experience is very useful and valuable. Theory is great but experience is always more useful.