Before the Storm Hits 

Be Prepared 

It pays to be prepared for a storm because you never know when one is going to hit. We suggest keeping the following items accessible for use until we can get your power back up:

• Flashlights and fresh batteries, candles or other illumination

• Battery-powered radio and/or television (for news updates)

• Battery-powered or wind-up clock

• Emergency telephone numbers

• Corded telephone

Given specific circumstances, outages often raise dangers you don’t expect. Please study the following suggestions to prepare for the worst:

Safety Tips

• Stay away from power lines. These bare wires could be live.

• If a person or object is in contact with a power line, don’t touch the person, object or line as the electric current could flow through you. Call 911 instead.

• If your vehicle is in contact with a power line, stay inside the car. Warn others not to touch the car or the power line.

• If you must leave your vehicle, jump clear to avoid being in contact with the car and the ground at the same time.

Summer Outages

• Close drapes and blinds on the sunny side of your home.

• During the day, go to an A/C building such as a shopping mall.

• Drink plenty of cool liquids even if you don’t feel thirsty.

• Eat light – opt for foods high in water content such as fruits, salads and soups.

• Take baths and showers (water conducts heat away from the body).

Winter Outages

• During the day, open your blinds to let the sun warm the space.

• At night, cover windows with drapes or blankets to minimize heat loss.

• Place heaters on a hard, non-combustible surface.

• If the indoor temperature drops to 55 degrees F, open faucets slightly so they drip to prevent pipes from freezing.

• Never use a gas range or charcoal for indoor heating.

  Generator Safety

• Follow manufacturer’s instructions for proper use of a portable generator.

• Operate the generator outdoors to avoid deadly fumes.

• Plug appliances directly into the portable generator or have it properly attached to your home’s wiring by a qualified electrician.

• Never connect a portable generator to your home’s main electrical panel or plug it into an electrical outlet.