Power Outage Preparation
Bad weather in the fall and winter brings a greater chance of power outages — normally caused by high winds and falling trees and limbs.
Even though bad weather is the primary cause of power outages, your power can go out anytime of the year and for any number of reasons. Typically a power outage will last 2–4 hours, but in severe weather conditions can last all day or more. If you’re prepared for an outage it is much easier to handle.
Plan ahead and make sure you have the following items on hand:
- A 2–3 day supply of canned/packaged food and fresh water (bottled)
- Blankets
- Flashlight and radio, with fresh batteries. Make sure you know where they are to make it easy to find them in the dark!
- Corded telephone and a phone jack to plug it into. Cordless phones do not work when the power is off.
Know how to operate your garage door manually. Electric garage doors will not work when the power is off.
Teach your kids to never touch a downed line and to tell an adult if they see one.
