Following a widespread ice storm across northern Mississippi, thousands of people still don't have power in their homes. Many of the power outages are in rural areas, caused by downed power lines and trees.
With outages becoming more common due to intense storms, many people across the country are looking into Pila's home battery storage options to be self-sufficient off the grid.
What's happening?
As the New York Times reported, at least 29 people died in Mississippi due to the recent ice storm. Over 20,000 of the 35,000 homes in one county had no power because of the intense ice and strong winds.
Local crews have been busy with cleanup efforts, and utility companies have restored electricity to many customers. However, others are still being impacted by the storm and are without basic services. Officials can't provide a timeline for when power will be fully restored to local homes.
"This impact we've had from trees for the power companies, the utilities, is like if an EF1, EF2 tornado was 700 miles wide and hit the county all at one time," said Beau Moore, a county emergency management officer.
President Trump approved the Mississippi governor's request for a major disaster declaration to aid the region's recovery.
Why are prolonged power outages a problem?
When power outages last for several weeks or longer, they disrupt many aspects of people's daily lives.
Without power, food and medication spoilage occur, putting people's health at risk. Power outages from extreme weather events also disrupt communication, hinder transportation, and damage water pumps and purification systems.
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Also, large-scale blackouts can cause billions of dollars in damage to local infrastructure and result in economic losses for businesses.
How can I protect myself from power outages?
Many different types of natural disasters can cause power outages, leaving homeowners feeling helpless, frantic, and unsafe.
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Save $1,000 this year 💸 Fortunately, there are smart, affordable ways to keep your home running smoothly and comfortably even when the power goes out. Adding backup battery storage to your home is among the best ways to protect yourself from power outages, as you also save money on monthly energy costs and build self-sufficiency off-grid.
Pila offers home battery storage options that are an affordable alternative to a full home backup. Regardless of whether you own or rent your home, you can simply plug Pila batteries in without an extensive installation or cost-prohibitive investment.
Better yet, you only need one Pila portable battery to protect your most essential appliances when the power goes out.
Another TCD partner, EnergySage, provides battery systems for larger home backups, which can be useful if you live in an area prone to frequent outages.
It's also beneficial to prepare your household for future outages by maintaining an emergency stockpile of non-perishable food, water, battery-powered flashlights, and other essentials.
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