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Solar generators can help in weather emergencies.

Prepare for emergencies.

Bad weather events are becoming increasingly common.

The solar power plant is becoming impotent. They are reaching households across the country and are being used for a variety of purposes, from collecting solar energy to saving electricity to creating a resilient power source to cope with the increasing number of weather emergencies that we now have to endure.

Just a few days ago, I read an article about the fact that this year we must deal with the super El Niño phenomenon.

But the power plants themselves may pose risks that the owners cannot immediately detect, and these problems may emerge in emergency situations, making the already bad situation worse.

My life has also been a frenzy of hiking, jungle explorers and all-powerful outdoor activists, and I have attended numerous courses related to outdoor survival, from first aid and land navigation to urban emergency preparedness, and the British equivalent of SERE (survival, flight, resistance and escape), known on this side of the Atlantic Ocean as survival, flight, resistance and evacuation.

What's your emergency?

The first step is to know what kind of emergency you will face because it can change your approach. The bad news is you have a lot of options, depending on where you live:

The Midwest Plain of Peace: cyclones, thunderstorms and floods.

Coast of the south-east and Gulf of Mexico: hurricanes, tropical storms and floods.

West: Wildfires, droughts and occasional winter storms.

Northeast: Winter storms, blizzards, occasional hurricanes.

Coastal areas: hurricanes, storm surges and sea level rise.

Know the limitations of your device

In general, power stations are very safe. I've spent a lot of days with it jumping around behind a truck or next to my head in a tent filled with water. But do not lose sight of the fact that they are boxes containing a large number of lithium ion batteries that can export thousands of watts of easily lethal communication electricity.

The power plant is designed to work best at room temperature (68 °F to 77 °F (20 °C to 25 °C)), but is usually prepared to charge at 2 °F (0 °C) to 95 °F (35 °C) and discharge at 14 °F (-10 °C) to 104 °F (40 °C). As for damp, that is where things become dangerous, and it makes sense to treat power stations like power exchange outlets or extended cables. The humidity range of the power station is usually 0 to 60 per cent and 80 per cent for storage.

They are also not well prepared to withstand water, and unless the equipment is specifically designed for water protection, any rainwater, spill or flood may damage internal components and create safety risks.

But there are more dangers to note.

Fire is a big deal, and it is absolutely worth considering, but it makes little sense to worry whether your power station uses lithium ion batteries or safer lithium phosphate (LiFePO4) batteries because wildfires are about to devour your property.

The wind may also be a serious problem, as it pulls solar panels off the roof or balcony, tears electrical wires and turns a 100-pound power station into a shell.

What should we do before an emergency happens?

Each situation is different, but the following are the things I need to remember:

Keep the power station cool and dry as far as possible. Some put them indoors, some in garages or workshops and others in sheds outside. In areas prone to light flooding, it would be a good idea to keep the power station a few feet from the ground and place it upstairs or in attic space at real risk of severe flooding. In hot areas, avoid direct sunlight.

Ensure that all solar panels you have are firmly fixed, even if you have a simple solar generator or a plug-in solar device. Winds damage panels and wires, and winds of 50 miles an hour turn them into missiles, thereby damaging property and causing damage.

If your power station is larger than a small portable device, consider using a cart to help you move it. I plan to pick up a cart for my energy tower to make it more mobile.

If you live in an area where you may lose power for a long time, you may need to consider matching solar generators with propane or gas generators to provide a stronger, longer-term back-up system. Make sure you know how the generators work.

If you suspect that an emergency may occur in the next few days, make sure that your power station is fully charged with electricity (use the exchange power if necessary) and consider collecting all solar panels. Here, it is best to exercise caution and, if an emergency has never arisen, consider what you have done during the trial run.

Note: Better to ensure the security of all important documents. I recommend the purchase of a water/fire-proof password or safe because the lost documents are difficult to replace.

What happens in an emergency?

Well, things started to get serious. Preparatory work has been completed and it is time to step up preparations. My game plan is as follows:

Any charge for power stations and all equipment is available.

Learn about local weather and news. Watch out for any evacuation warning. Understanding the main components of an emergency is likely to last for how long. For wildfires, keep a careful record of the direction of the wind; for floods, it is advisable to remove important items (including power stations and other electronic equipment) from the ground floor.

When recharge is completed (or when a weather emergency is imminent), disconnect the power station from the main power source (which can protect it from surges and lightning).

Don't waste the power plant's reserves. Priority is given to such essentials as refrigerators, medical equipment, communication tools (smart phones, radios) and lighting.

Listen to any instructions given to you by the local authorities or emergency services.

Remember, once the emergency has ended, the risk will not exist. Floods, damage to buildings, sewage spills, the collapse of power lines and the breakdown of gas mains are just some of the risks that may arise from weather emergencies.

And after the emergency?

Congratulations, you survived.

There are now two possibilities.

The best result is that the emergency is over, everything is largely back to normal or near normal, and only some clean-up is required. You can expect things to get back to normal soon.

Another option is that the major emergency is over, but with it secondary damage, which may take days, weeks or more to resolve, depending on the scale of the damage.

If your property is largely undamaged but your power exchange is not flowing out of the booth, you need to consider maintaining the power station reserve. Focus on energy conservation and focus. In addition, you need to consider the powering of batteries by allowing solar panels to run or start generators again.

If you use a generator, the fuel may be limited, so be careful to charge the battery.