When a disaster-stricken area loses electricity, every moment counts. Populations without power are immediately vulnerable, especially when it comes to:
- Food Safety – According to the CDC, if a refrigerator or freezer’s power is out for more than 4 hours, perishable food may become dangerous
- Drinking Water – Without power, purification systems become compromised, and water-borne illnesses can spread
- Medication – Many drugs require refrigeration to maintain efficacy, and the chronically ill are disproportionately affected when the power goes out
- Extreme Temperatures – The risk of heat exhaustion and hypothermia rises dramatically without electric cooling or heating systems
- Mental Health – in studies conducted in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy in 2012, scientists found that just two weeks without power had negative mental health effects for up to a year later