Winter weather is in full-swing, and a number of states have already been hit hard by the power outages that characterize the season. Thousands of residents across Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New York, and New Jersey lost power in November following Winter Storm Cato, and several projected storms are slated to cause similar outages in the upcoming weeks. With severe winter weather picking up, it’s important to be prepared in the event that a power outage does occur. In order to ensure safe survival through a power outage, it’s vital to be prepared in the weeks leading up to a storm, and to take necessary precautions during the outage. Preparing for a Power Outage You never know when a power outage may unexpectedly occur. During the winter, power outages are often caused by strong winds, ice storms, and heavy snow. While it’s vital to prepare for a power outage when you know a storm is approaching, it’s also important to prep at the beginning of the season, to ensure that you’re prepared in case an outage occurs without warning. Stock Up Stocking up on certain items well in advance of a severe storm will keep you prepared in the event of a power outage. Essential items include: -Flashlights -Emergency Batteries -Non-perishable or canned foods (canned meats and fish, canned soups, beans, crackers, canned vegetables, peanut butter, nuts and trail mixes, dried fruit, granola bars) -Bottled Water Ensure Cell Phone Power Landlines are becoming increasingly rare in homes, and they won’t…