The Nor'easter left lots of water, wind and darkness. Thousands have found themselves in the dark with this latest Winter storm. Is your town in the dark this morning? Let us know where your at ....

Here's some tips on how to be safe while enduring a Winter power outage. These tips provided by the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes.

Keeping Warm:

  • If you are using a gas heater or fireplace to stay warm, be sure the area is properly ventilated.
  • Put on layers of warm clothing. Never burn charcoal for heating or cooking indoors.
  • Go to a designated public shelter if your home loses power or heat during periods of extreme cold. Text SHELTER + your ZIP code to 43362 (4FEMA) to find the nearest shelter in your area (example: shelter 12345)

Family Safety:

  • During the power outage, resist the temptation to call 9-1-1 for information-that's what your battery-powered radio is for.
  • Keep a supply of flashlights, batteries and a battery-powered radio on hand. Do not use candles as they pose a fire hazard.
  • Keep your car fuel tank at least half-full, gas stations rely on electricity to power their pumps.
  • Turn off all lights but one, to alert you when power resumes.
  • Keep extra cash on hand since an extended power outage may prevent you from withdrawing money from automatic teller machines or banks.
  • Check on elderly neighbors, friends, or relatives who may need assistance during the outage.

Food:

  • Avoid opening the fridge or freezer. Food should be safe as long as the outage lasts no more than four hours.
  • Keep a supply of non-perishable foods, medicine, baby supplies, and pet food as appropriate on hand. Be sure to have at least one gallon of water per person per day on hand.

When The Power Returns:

  • When power is restored, wait a few minutes before turning on major appliances to help eliminate further problems caused by a sharp increase in demand.
  • When power comes back on, it may come back with momentary "surges" or "spikes" that can damage equipment such as computers and motors in appliances like the air conditioner, refrigerator, washer or furnace.

 

 

 

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