Monday December 13 2021

The first time I heard about the upcoming storm was five Mondays ago. The radio reminded listeners to prepare for the worst. And of course, I blissfully ignored them. I mean, the last three warnings they gave ended in beautiful sunny weather.

Fast forward to the next day, a rainy Tuesday. I started my morning routine as usual; brushed teeth, scrambled eggs, got dressed, and walked out the front door. The difference? This time I stepped right into an inch of water on the driveway.

As I looked up, I saw my neighbours scanning the street. They too were wondering what was happening…. And what was to come.

I drove to work, watching the water glide between passing cars. For some reason, none of us took the hints, we just kept to schedule.

Well, halfway through the day, my office building lost power (another hint). I called my wife and she told me they still had electricity. She said things were fine and the kids were watching Sesame Street.

While waiting at my desk for the lights to turn on, I glanced out the window. And that’s when it hit me. That’s when I realized this “rain” wasn’t just a few dropsーit would be a destructive storm.

The siding of buildings across the street were flying through the air. Cars honked, parked in front of chairs and tables splayed all over the street, garbage whirling with the wind. A couple strolling down the sidewalk ducked under an awning as the rain went from spitting to gushing.

I ran down the stairs, jumped into my car, and set out for home.

The water covering the street rose another inch while I was working. I switched on the radio, but could only catch a bit, “flooding,” “storm of the century,” “65 km/hr speeds,” “three injured.” Driving through the chaos felt like I was starring in a movie…. A movie I never signed up for.  

By the time I got home, my wife enveloped me in a hug. The power was now wiped out for the entire city. She handed me her phone, pointing out the battery level: 12%. I checked mine: 8%.

How was I going to check on my parents? My mother is in the middle of battling cancer and my father can barely walk without a cane. It’s not like either of them could walk through this weather, let alone get help if they needed it…

I unlocked my phone, and just as I was about to call them, a news notification popped up: my parents’ neighbourhood lost power and dozens of trees collapsed onto houses.

My breath caught in my throat…

We didn’t have anything prepared. No batteries, no canned food, no powerbanks…. nothing.

I felt the panic drop to my stomach. My hands shook. My vision blurred. My mouth went dry.

I never thought it would happen to me. But here was the storm. This was the moment that took me out of my comfortable bubble, pushing me to reality.

Then I heard a knock on the door.

One of our neighbours, suited in extreme rain gear, handed me a device that looked like a phone.

“This is a solar powerbank charger. It can charge any of your devices, even two at the same time! I wanted to make sure you could contact your loved ones. I’m giving one to every household on our street. It may not be much, but it makes me feel safe.”

I thanked Jenine for her kindness and closed the door behind her.

Anticipation raced through me, as my wife and I plugged our phones into the solar powerbank. Would it work? Would this be the answer? Within seconds, our phones lit up with the charging symbol. It seemed to work even with all the clouds!

I immediately dialed my Mom. After what felt like a million rings, her voice sounded through the line. She and Dad were in the hospital, and the backup generator was working perfectly. I took a deep breath. They were safe…. They were safe.

We decided to hide in the living room, away from the windows and doors. The four of us huddled together on the couch. We’d wait it out together.

When I woke up hours later, it was quiet. I got up, and that’s when I saw the street: an uprooted tree lay in our front yard, water steamed down the road, and garbage littered the ground.

The next day, the morning paper’s headline was:

“Massive storm surges through city leaving five dead, over twenty in critical care.”

That could have been us. We survived, but it was a close call. So close that I decided to never be unprepared again. I stocked our pantries with canned foods, flashlights, batteries, and first aid supplies. I bought two more solar powerbanks and a few solar panel chargers, just in case!

If it happened to me, it can happen to you.

After everything that happened, the savior was my neighbour’s solar powerbank. It gave me access to my phone so I could contact my family and emergency services, if needed. She was right, it did make me feel safe. Thanks to Voltzy Powerbank, I knew I could stay connected with the world.

Voltzy Powerbank is a solar-powered charger that charges your devices using the sun’s energy. You just plug your phone into the cable and right away, your device will gain power.

Thankfully, Voltzy Powerbank doesn’t just charge phones, it also powers iPads, tablets, e-readers, and Kindlesーanything that can connect to a USB port!

And that's not all! The device also duels as a flashlight, making it the perfect sidekick in any emergency.  

If you think these natural disasters won’t happen to you, you’re wrong. I’m proof of that. But my rationalizing could’ve cost me our lives. If my neighbor didn’t give me a Voltzy, I would’ve been disconnected from my parents (and the world!) during an emergency.

Since then, I’ve used Voltzy Powerbank for countless trips, including camping, hiking, and biking! I always have my phone charged. It even charged my eReader on the beach! This versatile device is made to fit your lifestyle, but keep you connected during crises.

Emergencies are emergencies for a reason. We never know when they’ll happen.

Stay prepared and claim your exclusive offer with Voltzy now.