Power Outages
Extended power outages are inevitable here in the land of snow, ice, wind and falling trees. Make sure your family is prepared for an extended outage, knows what to do when power goes out, or flickers multiple times just before it does and as service is being restored.
Prepare for an Extended Power Outage
- Use your emergency plan (see pages Make a Plan and Build a Kit) and make sure everyone in your household knows what to do in the event of a power outage. See Ready.gov/power-outages.
- Heating: Wood stove – have plenty of fuel. Propane furnace – have plenty of fuel and an alternative method for ignition. Electricity – have a generator with plenty of fuel, a portable electric heater, and enough heavy duty extension cords to reach the generator (which must be outside). Never use a generator, BBQ, camp stove or propane heater indoors, even in a garage, as they emit carbon monoxide which can kill you!
- Lighting: Have flashlights and battery lanterns and plenty of extra batteries. Small solar powered lights are available online and in stores. Some can charge mobile phones.
- Phone: Landlines may or may not work. Cordless home phones work for a while if there is a battery in the base station Mobile phones may or may not work. Have a fully charged power bank on hand.
- Water: It is important to conserve water in a power outage. Wells – keep several gallons of water on hand at all times. Have a generator connected to your well pump and/or fill a bathtub when a storm is expected. Glacier Springs – is gravity fed and should not be interrupted. Pump septic systems – find out which type of system you have (timer or on demand) and follow the manufacturer’s advice.
- Surge protectors: Consider a whole house surge protector at your power source. Protect electronics with a battery powered Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) to protect against spikes and blackouts, or surge-protecting power strips.
- Cold and frozen food storage: A generator, run for periods of time, is best for keeping temperatures in refrigerators and freezers at a safe level. An instant read thermometer will help you know when temperatures are unsafe.
In Case of a Power Outage or Flickering Power
- Check breakers and/or fuses: Overloading can cause breakers to trip and fuses to blow causing a power outage in your home. Check these first.
- Check with a neighbor: If other’s lights are off/power is out, the outage is not limited to just your home. Find out if they have already called the PUD (Public Utility District), and if not, who will/is able to call.
- Contact the PUD: Call 509-493-2255 or 800-548-8358.
- Be ready for at least one power surge when power is restored: Turn off and unplug electrical equipment, especially sensitive electronics. Major appliances can be disconnected by flipping breakers.
- Perishable food: Keep the doors of the refrigerator and freezer closed as much as possible. Check the temperature with an instant read thermometer whenever you need to open the door. If you have a generator, run your refrigerator and freezer every four hours until it cycles off. If you don’t have a generator and it is cold outside, put perishables into coolers out of doors and consume them first. Open the coolers as seldom and for as short a time as possible, checking the temperature. Do not eat perishable food once it warms to 40°F for more than two hours – throw it out.
The Trout Lake Emergency Handbook is a project of the Trout Lake Community Council, produced and published by TroutLake.org.