October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month. In our internet connected world, no one is immune from cyber threats, but you can do four simple things to secure your world and stay safe online. Check out CISA’s Secure Our World page, and Be Ready Utah’s Cybersecurity webpage for ideas to protect yourself, your family and your workplace.
In addition to National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, Be Ready Utah’s topic for the month of October is on “Light and Power”. Be Ready Utah invites everyone to take time this month to Be Informed, Make a Plan, Get a Kit, and Get Involved. You can do this. Be Ready Utah is here to help.
If the power goes out your refrigerator, freezer, oven, microwave, furnace, washers, TV, internet, phone chargers, and more, may no longer work. So what are your alternatives in a power outage? Backup generators and solar power are amazing technology, but these options may be difficult to afford for households or businesses on a budget. Here are some free and low cost ideas you could do in a power outage.
Free and Low Cost Power Outage Tips
- Storing Medication and Food: When the power goes out, the contents in your fridge or freezer can spoil quickly. If a friend or family member has a backup power supply, see if you can store some items in their fridge or freezer.
- Cooking: When the oven or microwave doesn’t work, consider alternate forms of cooking like a grill, fire pit, dutch oven and more. Which option works best for you? Learn how to use these and make sure you have the fuel you need for them.
- Keeping Warm or Cool: Your home furnace and air conditioning systems require power to function. Consider these tips for staying warm or cool if the power is out.
- Carbon Monoxide Poisoning: When power goes out you may be tempted to use a heater, candle, generator and other items that produce carbon monoxide. Be very aware of carbon monoxide poisoning risks when selecting alternatives for cooking or staying warm.
- Washing Clothes: Washers and dryers require electricity to function. Consider adding a washboard or laundry plunger to your preparedness items. Use a washboard to wash clothes in your tub or sink, or a laundry plunger to wash clothes in a bucket.
- Charging Your Phone: If a friend or family member has a backup power supply, see if you can charge your device at their place. Small portable charging packs or solar charges may also be an option.
- Work and Entertainment: Internet, computers and TV’s may not work in a power outage. If you need internet to work, consider your options for relocating to another site where the internet is working. For entertainment for you and the kids, consider other activities you can do that don’t require electricity, like board games, books, outdoor activities, crafts, and more.
Visit the following page for more information on Power Outages.
Do This: Learn about your power outage alternatives and teach others in your household or workplace.
Videos: Watch and share with someone you care about
- 20 to Ready: Power Failure Prep (3 min)
- FEMA: Be Prepared For Power Outages (1 min)
- Be Ready Utah Power Outage Prep Part 1: Power, Light and Water (51 min)
- Be Ready Utah Power Outage Prep Part 2: Shelter, Sanitation and Cook (58 min)
Printable brochures: Read and share with someone you care about
Social Media: Be Ready Utah will be sharing daily preparedness tips on light and power throughout October. Join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, and X (Twitter).
For the Workplace: If the power goes out at your place of work, what are your alternatives to keep your business operating? If you do not have a backup power supply, consider an alternate location you can go to continue your work. Learn more through the free online Business Continuity Training units on “Determine Essential Business Functions”, “Alternate Locations”, and “Workplace Emergency Supply Cache.” For Cybersecurity Awareness Month see the units on “Vital Records Protection”, and “Cybersecurity Measures.”
For the School: If the power goes out at your school, what does the school plan to do? Ask your school what they plan to do so you can know what to expect.
For the Community: Consider your neighbors and other community members that may have special needs during power outages. Strengthen your support network and community bonds now so you are better prepared to receive or provide support to others when something happens.
Current Be Ready Utah Events: Discover upcoming preparedness events and attend Be Ready Utah presentations throughout Utah. Learn where and when on the Be Ready Utah Calendar.
What’s New:
- Be Ready Utah created a new email subscription platform to help you receive monthly shareable preparedness reminders and action items you can use for your household, church, workplace and more. Please tell others they can subscribe.
- Check out the new Business Continuity Planning (BCP) Executive Summaries (Unit 3 and 4) in the Be Ready Utah Library. Unit 5 on Supply Chain Resilience will be coming out soon.
Subscribe to receive Be Ready Utah emails
Request a Be Ready Utah presentation for your group or event.
Prepare and share what you learned with someone you care about.
- Individuals can use this for family and household activities and learning.
- Church preparedness specialists can forward this to their congregation.
- Workplaces can share this with employees.
- Community and social groups can share this with their contacts.
- And much more…