For those of us in California and the Western United States, wildfires, evacuations, power outages, and rolling blackouts are increasingly becoming a regular occurrence. As a California-based company, ChargeTech is dedicated to delivering tools and technology to better prepare and protect us from these climate catastrophes including battery packs and portable power banks for emergency power.
Just this week, the Silverado Fire in Irvine has forced evacuations across Orange County. This is only the latest example of mass evacuation in this year's fire season which is already the worst on record in the state's history.
Over the last few years, we have consistently witnessed record-breaking fire seasons as climate change and suburban development continue to intensify our exposure to extreme weather.
In order to combat wildfires, California energy companies, such as PG&E, have shut off power in large tracts of the state to prevent electrical equipment from sparking fire. Further, extreme heatwaves, such as what we saw across California this August, are increasing our risk of fire and are putting a strain on our electrical and power grids. As a result of overburden and under planning, these heatwaves cause rolling blackouts and planned power outages across the state.
Whether due to evacuations, rolling blackouts, or emergency power outages, our worsening fire climate on the West Coast is leaving millions of residents without power on a regular basis. In recent weeks, some California residents have gone hours or days without power.
With all that being said, it is imperative that all California residents - and anyone across the Western United States - is prepared for evacuations and power outages with emergency sources of power.
Here are some of the reasons why everyone should have portable power solutions on hand in case of emergency.
1. Portable Power Packs -Ready for Evacuation
When you get an evacuation notice, you may not know how long you’ll be away, where you are going, and where it is safe to go.
In these situations, you can’t afford to have your phone or computer running out of battery. Evacuees rely on a strong internet connection and fully charged battery to get news, follow directions, or contact loved ones. Including a portable power bank in your emergency preparedness kit will ensure that you don't find yourself without a charge when you need it most.
With a ChargeTech portable power pack on hand, you will always have a full charge when you need to pack up and leave at a moment's notice.
For emergency preparedness, we recommend our 27K or 54K unit. These best-selling products are compact, easily fit in a backpack, but provides more than enough power to charge your phone several times over. Both of these units come with both USB-A, USB-C, and AC outlets to charge a number of devices at once, including computers.
If you need a more compact pocket-sized unit, our 20K battery pack, at only $27.95 is enough to charge a phone multiple times and is small enough to slide in your pocket. This compact unit is perfect for cellphones and tablets and is equipped with a wireless charging pad so you can charge your phone even if you forget your cable.
On the other end of the spectrum, some may choose to go for our large units such as the 54K power pack. Both of these units provide more than enough power to keep multiple laptops, cellphones, and other electronics powered up for hours at a time.
These larger format units are handy to keep a whole family charged while evacuating, and are still very lightweight and portable enough to fit in a bag
ChargeTech 125K Power Station is the ultimate electric generator for emergency solutions.
2. Power Outage Essentials - Portable Power Banks for Emergency Power
The second category of fire preparedness that we must account for, is rolling blackouts and power outages. As discussed above, there are several reasons why Californians are finding themselves without power more often these days.
In late October, as another round of wildfires was popping up across California, PG&E announced that up to 500,000 Californians may experience their power being shut off to curb the spread of fires.
This is just the latest example of planned power outages this year alone. Many Californians are not prepared for this event. That is why we recommend having a ChargeTech 54K Portable Power Station on hand in your home.
This unit provides a staggering 125,000 mAH of battery life in a portable lunch-box sized unit. That is enough power to charge multiple laptops, cellphones, tablets, or even desktops for hours at a time.
The ChargeTech 54K Power Station also comes with a built-in flashlight and Bluetooth speaker for emergency needs.
Each outlet puts out a MAX wattage of 300W, for a total of 600W.
This emergency power essential is now on sale for $479. Check it out at the button below.
3. Emergency Power That Travels With You
Unlike gas-powered generators, ChargeTech portable power packs can be taken with you wherever you go.
Throw it in your backpack, bring it in your car, take it inside of your house. ChargeTech portable power packs are safe and portable to bring wherever you need supplemental power.
In order to be truly prepared for any situation, it is important that your source of emergency power is as mobile as you are. That is why we recommend outfitting your home with ChargeTech emergency power sources such as the 125K Power Station or 54K Portable Power Pack instead of a gas-powered generator.
Our compact battery packs are lightweight enough to carry in your hand or a small bag, meaning that your source of power does not restrict where you are able to move. In an emergency situation, it is important that you are able to move freely and quickly. Our entire suite of portable power is designed for mobility and portability.
4. Fire Safe Power Supply
Another big reason to move away from gas generators for emergency electricity in power outages is that gas generators are not fire safe.
In extreme drought conditions that lead to rolling blackouts and emergency power outages, it is important that you are keeping your home safe from flammable sources.
Keeping reserves of gas lying around outside in extreme fire conditions may increase your exposure to fires. It is much safer to opt for electric alternatives of emergency power such as ChargeTech’s portable power solutions.
These battery-powered emergency solutions allow you to reliably power your electronic devices in blackout conditions without needing flammable fuel sources.
A brush fire burns at the Apple Fire in Banning, Calif., Saturday, Aug. 1, 2020. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu)
5. Earth Friendly
Finally, we encourage Californians to opt for electric power options in their homes because it is a zero-emissions option to power your devices.
As we know, greenhouse gas emissions are the root culprit of climate change and subsequently, are increasing our risk of wildfires and extreme weather. Therefore, it is important that the tools we are using to respond to this climate emergency are not making the problem worse.
Unlike gas generators, our portable power solutions emit zero emissions.
More importantly, our battery packs and power banks can be recharged from renewable sources such as solar and wind and used to power devices when renewables are not available or the entire power grid has been shut down.
It is important that we have options in our homes to store renewable energy for emergency use without relying on fossil fuels and other pollutants.
Check out ChargeTech’s full line up of compact, high capacity portable power packs here, and make sure your home is prepared for the ongoing wildfire season.
