Day 25 of 30 Days of Easy Preparedness

Know Your Way Out When the Power Is Out

A power outage can affect more than just your lights. It can change how you safely get in and out of your home.

So today’s challenge is simple: Make sure you know how to get out if the power is off.

If You Have a Garage

If your vehicle is parked inside an attached garage, an electric garage door opener may suddenly become a problem during a power outage—especially if the garage is your main way in and out.

Most automatic garage doors have a manual emergency-release mechanism, often a red cord hanging from the opener track. When the garage door is fully closed, the release allows you to disconnect the door from the automatic opener so it can be operated manually.

Today’s Garage Challenge

With the garage door fully closed, locate your emergency-release cord and check your garage door opener's instructions so you know how to use it.

Then ask yourself:

• Can you safely lift the garage door manually?

• Do you know how to reconnect it to the opener afterward?

• Is there another way into or out of your garage?

• If the garage has no other entrance, do you have an exterior emergency-release option?

• Does everyone in the household who is physically able know how to operate it?

Safety Note: Never pull the emergency release while the garage door is open. If a spring or other component is damaged, the door could fall unexpectedly. If the door feels unusually heavy or won't stay in position, don't force it. Have the door inspected.

Don't Have a Garage? This Challenge Is for You, Too!

If you live in an apartment, condo, dorm, hotel-style building, or another multi-unit property, your Day 25 challenge is to learn your emergency exits and stairways.

During a power outage or other emergency, the elevator may not be available. Would you know how to get out using the stairs?

Today, take a few minutes to locate:

• Your nearest emergency staircase

• A second exit in case your usual route is blocked

• The exit that leads all the way outside—not just to another floor

• Fire doors and emergency-exit signs

• A safe meeting location outside your building

If you normally use an elevator, make sure you know what alternatives are available during an emergency and what your building's emergency procedures are.

And here's something simple: walk the route.

Knowing there's a staircase somewhere in the building isn't the same as knowing exactly where it is when the hallway is dark, you're stressed, or there's smoke or confusion.

Mimi's Preparedness Thought

Preparedness isn't always about what you have stored.

Sometimes it's about knowing your surroundings.

Whether it's learning how to manually open your garage door or knowing which staircase gets you safely out of your apartment building, these are things we often don't think about until we suddenly need them.

Don't wait for the lights to go out to figure out your way out.

Take a few minutes today. Walk the route. Show your family. Make sure everyone knows.

One small task. One more thing you're prepared for.

— Mimi 

30 Days of Easy Preparedness — Day 25

Tomorrow — Day 26

We’re getting close to the finish line, but we still have a few important little things to tackle!

Come back tomorrow for Day 26 of our 30 Days of Easy Preparedness Challenge. It will be another simple task you can do now that could make a big difference when the unexpected happens.

25 days down—just 5 more to go! 

See you tomorrow, my Prepper Friends!