Just in case: Be prepared for an outage

Thankfully, lengthy electrical outages do not happen on a regular basis. That does not mean you should not prepare for them, however.

Safe Electricity and Lane-Scott Electric suggest you:

• Have a storm kit ready that includes flashlights, bottled water, non-perishable food, battery-operated radio, batteries, portable cell phone chargers that are fully charged, hand sanitizer and first-aid supplies.
• Have alternate plans for refrigerating or accessing medicines and using power-dependent medical devices.
• Find out where your local storm shelters are and have a plan for getting there if needed and it is safe to do so.

During a power outage:

• Call us to report the power outage.
• Keep freezers and refrigerators closed to preserve food.
• Only use generators outdoors and away from windows and doors; do not use them in a garage.
• Do not use a gas stove to heat your home.
• Disconnect appliances and electronics to avoid damage from electrical surges.
• If safe, go to an alternate location for heat or cooling.

If weather conditions allow, check on neighbors. This is especially important since cell phone and internet communications may be disrupted and they may be unable to call for help.