Very Young and Very Old Family Members Are Especially Vulnerable During Power Blackouts
Even though you will not have a great problem during the spring and fall seasons with keeping cool or warm without electricity, other dangers still exist. This is especially true for your very young and very old family members.
Without good lighting, many home accidents are more likely to occur. Even if you have battery powered lanterns and headlamps, you still will not have lighting that will be as good as when your electricity is flowing.
Even during normal lighting conditions, falls cause many traumatic injuries in homes. Power blackouts will cause many conditions that can make such falls even more likely. Less lighting in the home, for example, will make visual cues harder to see. Also, sleep deprivation and anxiety will make family members more likely to be clumsy. For example, a sleep deprived, anxious child might fall down a poorly illuminated staircase.
Falls are just one category of accidents that could increase during conditions of poor lighting. As another example, a grandfather might make a mistake with the medications that he takes. As a third example, a grandmother preparing a meal in a poorly illuminated kitchen might be more likely to cut herself when slicing food. As a final example, any family member with a heart condition could suffer a heart attack from the anxiety caused by the power blackout.
There also are dangers outside of the home during power blackouts. With no electricity, the roads will have no stoplights and not even streetlights at night. These conditions will make car accidents more likely. All drivers will be stressed out and more prone to have car accidents and road rage.
Older family members who still drive will do so at great risk during a power blackout. They cannot drive as well after dark, especially if they also have diminished hearing ability. Thus, they will be even more at risk when the streetlights are not working.
Although all family members must be more careful during power blackouts, you would do well to look after your very young and old family members even more carefully than during normal times with a flow of electricity.
My book has additional ways to prepare for disasters.
