08/14/2026
🔦 Ripley Residents: with the recent outage, I’ve come up with a 72-Hour to 5-Day Power Outage Survival List to be better prepared if this ever happens again. We can never be too prepared and any list should be adjusted to individual needs.
With an extended power outage, being prepared can make things much easier. Residents are encouraged to gather the following supplies and plan ahead for at least 72 hours, and preferably 5 days.
💧 Water
* Drinking water — plan for at least 1 gallon per person per day
* Additional water for pets
* Extra water for basic hygiene and sanitation
* Bottled water or clean containers for storage
🥫 Food
Choose foods that don’t require refrigeration or cooking:
* Canned meats, vegetables, fruits and soups
* Peanut butter and crackers
* Protein/granola bars
* Shelf-stable milk
* Dried fruit and nuts
* Bread and other ready-to-eat foods
* Manual can opener
* Baby food/formula if needed
* Pet food
🔦 Lighting & Communication
* Flashlights
* Battery-powered lanterns
* Extra batteries
* Portable phone power banks
* Car chargers
* Battery-powered or hand-crank weather radio
* Keep phones charged whenever possible
🧊 Keeping Food Safe
* Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible
* Use coolers and ice when available
* Have a food thermometer if possible
* When in doubt about spoiled food, throw it out
🧼 Sanitation & Hygiene
* Toilet paper
* Wet wipes
* Hand sanitizer
* Soap
* Paper towels
* Heavy-duty trash bags
* Disinfectant/cleaning supplies
* Personal hygiene products
* Diapers and other necessary supplies
🩹 Health & Safety
* First-aid kit
* Necessary prescription medications
* Basic over-the-counter medications
* Important medical equipment backup plan
* Copies of important phone numbers and emergency contacts
🔋 Backup Power
* Portable power banks
* Vehicle charging cables
* Battery-powered fans
* Generator, if available
* Fuel stored safely and legally
⚠️ GENERATOR SAFETY: Never operate a generator inside a house, garage, basement, shed, or enclosed area. Keep generators well away from doors, windows and vents to prevent deadly carbon monoxide from entering the home.
🌡️ Staying Comfortable
During hot weather:
* Battery-powered/USB fans
* Plenty of drinking water
* Lightweight clothing
* Battery-operated lights
During cold weather:
* Blankets
* Sleeping bags
* Warm clothing
* Safe alternative heat source
Never use a grill, camp stove, charcoal burner, or other fuel-burning appliance indoors for heating or cooking.
🐶 Don’t Forget Your Pets
* Several days of pet food
* Plenty of water
* Necessary medications
* Leashes/carriers
* Waste bags
💵 Other Items Worth Having
* Cash — ATMs and card readers may be unavailable
* Vehicle fueled and ready
* Basic tools
* Matches/lighter kept safely
* Blankets
* Paper plates, cups and utensils
* Local emergency contact information
⭐ Most Important Priorities
If you can’t get everything, focus first on:
1. Water → 2. Food → 3. Medications → 4. Lighting → 5. Communication → 6. Sanitation → 7. Temperature control → 8. Backup power
☎️ Consider a Traditional Landline
* Consider keeping a basic corded landline phone available at home.
* A traditional telephone line may continue operating during a power outage because the telephone company can provide power to the line.
* Cordless phones will not work without household power, so keep at least one corded phone if you rely on a landline.
* Check with your telephone provider to confirm whether your particular service remains operational during an outage.
* Keep a list of important emergency and family phone numbers in case cell service becomes unavailable or unreliable.
This can be an especially valuable backup during a prolonged outage when cell phones are difficult to keep charged.
Please check on elderly neighbors, individuals who may need medical equipment, and anyone who may have difficulty managing an extended outage on their own.
Stay safe, look out for one another, and let’s continue taking care of our Ripley community.
Mayor Arnett
