It's the last few seconds of the first half and your team has only a slight advantage that they may lose during the next few seconds. You're pumped up with excitement when suddenly the TV goes blank, the air conditioner shuts off, and the room goes dark.
It's a power outage in the middle of the final round of one of the most popular sports in Manitoba. Your heart sinks knowing that you can't do anything about it. But is there anything you can do?
With today's advanced power generation, transmission technologies and systems in Manitoba, a power outage is rare. The fact that it happened during an important game was just coincidence. However, don't lose hope at the moment. You still don't know the cause of the outage and how long it will last.
You don't need to be one of the best electricians in the city to be prepared for a power outage. All you need is a basic power outage survival kit to survive this dilemma. Most kits are simple. They include a Flashlight, fresh batteries, extra batteries, and a battery-powered radio.
A flashlight is for emergency lighting just in case the outage happens at night. It may also be useful when looking in or walking through dark spaces, such as closets or basements where the circuit breaker may be located.
You can never have enough fresh batteries during an outage. Make sure that you have them in stock for emergency purposes such as this.
A battery powered radio will be extremely important if there's a national emergency. You need to know what's happening. Without regular electricity, a battery powered radio is the best means to receive valuable information from the Manitoba local and national governments. For those who are more concerned about the popular sports in Manitoba, you can find the game on the radio and finish listening to it there.
Power outages rarely last long term, even after a calamity or severe weather conditions. You can trust the energy company to have all the necessary equipment in place to bring the power up as soon as possible. However, this doesn't mean that you shouldn't prepare for a longer term power outage. In case a long term power outage does happen, you won't be as affected as those that didn't prepare.
You'll need a portable generator to provide you with electricity for lights and basic necessities. You'll also need to stock the fuel supply, such as diesel. If you have a gasoline generator, keep in mind that this type of fuel degrades over time. You might want to restock the can occasionally.
A power outage during a big game of one of the most popular sports in Manitoba can be frustrating, but this isn't the time to panic. If you have knowledge on how to check your circuit breaker, do that first. You should also call the power company to ask for more information and see if they can help or have had any other reports of a power outage.
