Preparing an Outage Emergency Kit
- Nonperishable food and water
- Flashlights and extra batteries
- First-aid kit
- Radio with spare batteries
- Land line phone other than a cordless
Portable Generators
Generators are a great source of back-up power when the electricity goes out but can be dangerous if not used properly. Follow the provided tips and keep your family safe during an outage:
- Keep your generator outside and away from doors, windows and vents.
- Install carbon monoxide detectors throughout your home to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.
- Turn off your generator and let cool down before refueling.
- Install a GenerLink transfer switch on your meter socket to protect your linemen from backfeeding. Click here for more information.
Reporting an Outage
If an outage occurs, please:
- Check to see if your neighbors have power. If the neighbors are also out of power, call 1-800-282-8610 to report an outage. If the neighbors have power or if you cannot determine whether they have power, then:
- Check for a blown fuse or open circuit breaker in your own equipment.
- If you have determined through steps one and two that the outage is not a problem with your electric system, then report the outage by calling 1-800-282-8610.
Note: If you report a false power outage, you could be billed for the call-out.
When you call in, the Outage Reporting System should recognize your phone number using the caller identification code provided by the phone company. If the system does not recognize your number, please leave a message and provide your name, a phone number where you can be reached along with your service map location number.
It is very important that you keep your telephone number current with us, so that we may serve you better. Also, the service map location number on the front of your bill helps our crews locate you through our mapping system.
Keeping Food Safe During an Outage
The electricity just went out and your refrigerator is packed with food. The following tips are provided by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and will help ensure your food is safe during and after a power outage. You should:
- Never taste the food to determine its safety.
- Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed to maintain a cold temperature ( a full refrigerator will keep food cold for four hours and a full freezer will hold a safe temperature for 48 hours).
- Obtain dry ice to keep your refrigerator and freezer cold if power is expected to be out for a long time.
- Check the temperature of your freezer with an appliance thermometer if the power has been out for a few days (food should be at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below).
- Discard refrigerated perishable food such as meat, poultry, fish, cheeses, milk, eggs, leftovers and deli items after four hours without power.
