Wind, rain, thunderstorms – all are expected in springtime. However sometimes the unexpected happens: you lose power. Read below to learn how to prepare your home and your family before an outage, what to do during and how to recover afterwards.
Before an outage
- Keep a thermometer in your refrigerator and freezer to make sure items are being stored at a safe temperature (40 degrees for refrigerator, 0 degrees for the freezer).
- Create an emergency kit that has flash lights, water bottles, batteries, etc.
During an outage
- Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed. A full freezer should keep food safe for about 2 days. Refrigerated items will last 4-6 hours in an outage. If the outage seems that it will be more than 6 hours, transfer items to a cooler with ice.
- Turn off appliances and other equipment in case of a power “surge” that can damage computers and other devices.
Recovering from the outage
- Check your refrigerated and frozen items. Thawed frozen items can be refrozen if there are ice crystals still present or if it is still cold to touch. Any refrigerated items have been above 40 degrees or higher for 2 plus hours should be discarded
- Stay away from any power lines that are down. Report down lines to your utility company.
To learn more and get additional information, click here.
With safety tips out of the way, check out how to have fun during a blackout here.