Power outages can be pretty alarming. It can be tempting to try and escape your home to an establishment that still has power.
The question is, will stores be open during power outages? According to Generator Source.com, stores like retailers, grocery stores, and even some restaurants will likely remain open to some extent during a power outage because these establishments cannot afford to lose either their goods or revenue for days on end or even several hours. Typically, they keep some power using backup generators.
In this article, we’ll talk about what usually happens when power goes out!
Will Stores Be Open During a Power Outage?
As previously mentioned, it is a common practice when the power goes out in your home or even your whole neighborhood to try and find somewhere else to hang out that has power. After all, it may start to get uncomfortable in a dark house without air conditioning!
Besides that, you may be hoping to get some goods or services to help you ride out the power outage.
The question is, will any public places, like stores, be open?
Actually, as we’ve discussed, more stores remain open during a power outage than not. This is because many businesses, even large corporations like chain departments or grocery stores, cannot afford to lose a day of business that closing their doors during a power outage would cause.
Because of this need to keep revenue coming in, you will find that nearly all businesses can afford a generator to keep their power on more than they can afford not to have one and stay closed during a power outage.
Besides, these back up generators can also keep goods like perishable foods from going to waste when their refrigerators or freezers lose power.
Some of the stores that are likely to be open, even during a power outage, are listed below, along with what their generators usually keep running:
- Grocery Stores – Typically, even small neighborhood grocery stores keep their doors open during a power outage because they can use generators to power their registers, a few essential lights, and, if worse comes to worse, their refrigerators and freezers.
- Catering Centers and Bakeries – Typically these smaller locations will have a backup generator running to keep their food safe from spoiling.
- Gas Stations – Gas stations can make some of their best money during power outages, actually, and therefore they all typically come equipped with generators to keep lights, security cameras, pumps, and of course, payment devices, up and running.
- Casinos – Because of increased risk of security during a power outage, casinos will usually stay open with backup generators that power their security cameras as well as cash and slot machines.
- Department Stores – Many department stores would rather shell out for generators that keep their lights, security equipment, and payment stations on and doors open rather than lose money by closing every time the power goes out.
Though the officials at Ready.gov warn some retail businesses are not guaranteed or required to stay open during a power outage, you will usually find that some options on the above list stay open anyway to save themselves from losses.
What Usually Happens When the Power Goes Out?
Usually, when the power goes out, it is the cause of either a problem caused by bad weather (such as tree branches falling and breaking lines that deliver power) failure of the equipment that delivers power, or even human mistakes.
When the power goes out, many businesses may decide to close, but as we’ve discussed, the majority will run their backup generators and try to stay open and keep doing business.
If the power outage spreads throughout a whole neighborhood for a long amount of time, especially during cold weather or very hot weather, you’ll find a lot of people leaving their homes to shelter in a more comfortable public place.
In your own home or business, without a backup generator, you will notice any lights in the home going out and, most likely, a noticeable silence.
This is because a home is usually filled with the subtle noise of air conditioners and household appliances like refrigerators and laundry machines running. When power is cut off, they abruptly stop all at once.
Though the house may be dark and start changing in temperature, there is no need to panic, as you’ll find in the next section below.
When the Power Goes Out, Will it Come Back On?
Yes, the good news is that when the electrical power in a home or business building goes out, it will likely not stay off forever.
If you confirm that the power in your building is indeed gone by checking your electric panel and making sure no breakers have been tripped, call the local utility company.
If you are not sure who that is, use your mobile device to search the Internet for your local Transmission & Distribution Service Provider, Electric Distribution Utilities, or Transmission and Distribution Utility phone numbers.
If you are unwilling to use the data (since the WiFi is out) to perform this search, head to a local place with power and WiFi to find the number.
You can then ask one of the representatives from your power provider what is causing the outage and whether or not they have any information on when it will come back on.
What Foods Are Good For Power Outage?
The best foods for a power outage are those that do not need to be refrigerated or frozen to last. They should also be high in protein and filling, in case you need to make a little go a long way.
Some good options include peanut butter, which is protein-rich and does not need to be kept cold, as well as it’s accompaniment & jelly! Both of these have a long-lasting shelf life.
Snack foods like pretzels and crackers are also great to keep, because even though they may not be high in nutritional value, they are filling and will not expire quickly, nor do they need to be kept in a fridge.
More nutrient-rich foods are tuna pouches, canned chicken, fruit cups, meat jerky, and dried fruits. Nuts like cashews and peanuts are also great as long as you and your family members do not have any nut allergies. We also recommend canned foods like chili.
If you need another source of protein and vitamins, you do not need to feel the loss of refrigerated milk as long as you have boxed milk substitute beverages. Some of these include almond milk, coconut milk, and even rice milk.
These do not need to be refrigerated, and even if the flavor is not your particular favorite, it can be covered up with one of the other excellent foods during a power outage: cereal!
The best way to be prepared with these foods is to keep track of your local weather and news from power suppliers.
If you know that inclement weather, such as tropical storms, snow, freezing rain, or even just bad thunderstorms are on their way, stock up on these foods!
Remember, some grocery stores may use their backup generators to stay open, so even if you were caught off-guard by a power outage, chances are, you can still head out and get some of these supplies.
How Long Does Food Keep in the Fridge Without Power?
How long food will remain edible without going bad when the refrigerator loses power is an important question.
After all, without power, the refrigerator is no longer generating the cool air that keeps it’s interior, and everything inside, at a safe temperature to keep out bacteria growth on perishables.
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the food in a refrigerator is only guaranteed to be safe for 4 hours after the refrigerator loses power, and any time the fridge door is opened, some of the cold air escapes and that time is cut down.
In the case of a freezer that is full to capacity with frozen items, food may last for a full 48 hours as long as the freezer’s seal is not broken by opening the door while power is lost. If the freezer is only half full, the food inside may only last 24 hours.
Remember, keep your refrigerator closed for as long as possible to maximize the amount of time food will survive the power outage.
If you are without power for 4 hours, the food will likely go to waste, and it is safer to toss it out rather than eat food that has a chance of containing harmful bacteria.
In Conclusion
To sum everything we’ve learned up, most stores will still be open during a power outage, and here’s why: many stores have backup generators that keep some of their most essential equipment up and running during a loss of power.
This is to protect their goods and keep some money coming in even during an abnormal situation.
To follow in their preserving footsteps, make sure your perishables are as safe as can be by keeping refrigerators closed so they can maintain safe temperatures for up to 4 hours. If running a generator, keep it outdoors, away from windows. Stay safe!
References
https://www.generatorsource.com/Surprising-Industries-That-Use-Backup-Generators.aspx