If your power goes out, you’ll want to take some precautions to keep your home and family safe.
The first thing to do is unplug as many items as possible (except for the refrigerator and freezer, which should remain plugged in). If the power comes back on while these appliances are off, it could cause a surge that would damage your electronics.
If you have a landline telephone and a cordless phone, unplug the cordless base station so that you can use the cordless phone during an outage. Also, make sure you have a traditional (not digital) watch handy, since digital watches won’t work without electricity.
Make sure all flashlights and lamps are working so you’ll have light at night. It’s also a good idea to stock up on extra batteries for flashlights.
Check your circuit breaker or fuse box. If the power loss at home has gone out to some, but not all of your appliances, it’s possible that a fuse has blown or a circuit breaker has been tripped.
Unplug electrical appliances and computers. Do this immediately to prevent any damage from a power surge when the electricity returns.
Be careful with candles and open flames during a power outage. Make sure that there is an adult present who can keep an eye on the flame at all times and make sure to extinguish it before going to bed or leaving the room.
Keep your refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible to keep food cold for longer. A full freezer will stay cold for about 48 hours, whereas a half-full freezer will only stay cold for about 24 hours.
We hope you never have to face a power outage, but it’s good to know what to do if you do. Depending on the situation, some or all of these tips may be helpful:
Turn off or disconnect appliances and other equipment in case of a momentary power “surge” that can damage computers and other devices. Consider adding surge protectors.
Turn off or unplug any appliance (like an oven or heater) that is not working properly.
Leave one light turned on so you’ll know when the power comes back on.
Make sure everyone in your family knows where the fuse box or circuit breaker is and how to turn off electricity in an emergency.
If you rely on anything electric to maintain your health, like a respirator or dialysis machine, it’s very important to have a backup plan ready. If you don’t have batteries for your portable equipment, call your local emergency management office for help.
