There was alot of talk about the battery powered tv becoming obsolete after the switch over to digital in June 2009, but that's not true. Many of the newer models include the tuner that will allow you to watch digital tv. You will probably need an antenna as well for optimal viewing. Many of the stations are on UHF so you will need an antenna that can pick up these signals.
ARE YOU AS PREPARED AS YOU NEED TO BE IN AN EMERGENCY?
In emergency preparedness, don't take anything for granted.
You should always include water, blankets, flashlights, radio, batteries for the flashlights and radio, canned goods, can opener battery powered or manual. Enough for a minimum of 3 days. The bare basics.
But let me tell you from experience, when there is no electricity and no certainty as to when there will be electricity, a battery powered tv is a welcomed addition to any kit. I needed information that the radio just wasn't giving me. I needed to see what I was dealing with, and the radio stations just weren't giving me the descriptions and updates I needed. Also, it gave me proof that I wasn't alone, there were others who were in the same situation as me. Also as another source of light and sound, it helped.
When you're making your emergency preparedness kit for home, think about adding that portable battery powered tv. They are a great way to keep up with emergency updates when the electricity goes out or to help keep your sanity when the power goes off. Many of the newer models don't require a tv converter box because they have the 2009 Digital Compliant ATSC tuner that will work after 6/12/2009. Because they are battery powered, they are portable. Most also come with car adapters, so you can use the cigarette lighter in your car if you need to.
In an emergency, not all cell phones are reliable, not because of poor quality, but if the tower gets knocked out, no signal, no apps on your phone, or you may not be able to hold a signal long enough.
As long as we are talking emergency preparedness, I'd like to add a few more items I found useful.
Converter - not the tv converter but I'll come to that later. A converter allows you to hook up a 120 volt appliance using a converter box to your car's cigarette lighter. You plug the appliance into the converter box, and then plug it into your cigarette lighter. I used it for emergency recharges, if the situation lasted longer than my battery supplies, or to conserve my batteries. It came in handy when I had to recharge my mother's feeding tube device.
Medications and First Aid Kits - you should have at least a 4-5 days supply of your medications. You never know when you're going to be able to get to the pharmacy or if it will be open, and this takes some of the worry out of the equation. Store them in a container that remains dry and secure, and place where you can find them. For more information on what should be in your emergency first aid kits click here
A TV converter box and an antenna- you won't need this if you have a battery powered tv that is digital compliant, but if you don't have a battery powered tv, you may want to consider having a tv converter box on hand especially if you're a cable subscriber. Even if your power comes back on, there's no guarantee that your cable will come back on as well. And because of the change over to digital in June 2009, many areas cannot pick up a tv signals.
Large, medium and small plastic resealable bags - comes in handy for any situation. You can make an emergency ice pack if needed. No ice - fill with frozen green peas. I always like to keep a bag or two of frozen peas on hand.
Ice Chests - Large Styrofoam or Heavy Plastic - someplace to keep your food from spoiling for as long as possible. When your power goes out, and you have food in the fridge, stop opening and closing the fridge. Keep the coolness in for as long as you can, so avoid opening and closing the fridge doors as much as possible, take out what you need and shut it. Use the ice chests for those items you may use more regularly like for juice, water, lunch meats. Fill chest with ice, place those regularly used items inside clear plastic bags and seal up your lunch meats. Even if the ice melts, it still very cold water which should help you stretch it out a little longer.
If you're able to get ice, just dump the water into your bath tub and use to help flush the toilet, and refill.
Money - just a few dollars for emergency purchases. Nothing elaborate, just some emergency money. Banks may be closed or ATMs may be down. Nothing worse than needing some quick cash and you can't get to it. Debit or credit card machines may be unavailable, cash always works.
Phone Numbers - to emergency services. 911 is great, but there are other numbers you should have handy: Nothing worse than trying to find the number in an emergency.
- Your local electric company - for downed powerlines, power outages, and other emergencies.
- Gas and water utility - emergency shut off or leaks.
