Plan for Power Outages

Despite years of warnings to be prepared to survive for three days without power in the event of the expected big earthquake, many of us were caught unprepared during the recent PG&E planned power outages. Our San Francisco stores had power throughout the outages, but we were overwhelmed with folks coming in from blacked-out areas to get supplies. Our Rockridge store was without electricity for two full days, but Mary and her crew managed to stay open and help hundreds of customers, using a generator to operate the cash registers and flashlights to navigate the pitch-black store! Mary gave us some insight as to what items were flying off the shelves. Power outages can occur at any time, so avoid the mad rush and don’t wait to make sure you have supplies on hand, especially since outages unfortunately seem to be the new normal during peak fire season. 

These are the must-have items to have on hand:

• flashlights
• lanterns
• headlamps
• task lighting
• cooler for food and medicines
• batteries
• N95 dust masks
• portable radio
• candles

Generators

During the recent outages our stores sold out of all of the generators we had in stock. This equipment is something to consider having on hand for power outages. We stock two generators:

The Generac GP2200i inverter generator provides stable power without disturbing neighbors or wildlife. Using TruePower™ Technology, this 1700-watt unit produces the clean power required by a variety of sensitive electronics, tools, and appliances. Compact and fully enclosed, its lightweight design makes transportation easy, and its economy mode feature reduces fuel consumption rates and noise emissions to allow the generator to operate quietly for extended periods of time. (Sku 3804341)

An affordable solution, the Generac GP Series 3000I portable generator  is easy to carry, with a compact and lightweight design and built-in handles that make transportation simple. The economy mode automatically adjusts engine speed to save fuel and reduce sound emissions, and this 3250-watt unit includes USB ports to charge mobile devices including smartphones and tablets. Provides stable power ideal for sensitive electronics, tools, and appliances. (Sku 3296068) 

For fueling these generators, we recommend TruFuel, which stores longer and more safely than gasoline. Be sure to stock up on this when purchasing a generator. (Sku 7392335)