Winter Weather Ahead!

December 1, 2011

Winter weather

Fellow members,

While we are certainly enjoying mild weather right now, winter is right around the corner, and if it is anything like last winter, we will all need to be prepared.  We all know that forecasts can change quickly, and ice can cause outages despite our best efforts.  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

·      Enough bottled water to last up to three days

·      Non-perishable food that does not require cooking

·      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:

Winter Outage Safety Tips

·      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.

General Outage Safety

·      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.