With ice and snow storms in winter, thunder
storms in spring and summer, and hurricane season lasting through fall,
storms are a year-round concern regarding electrical equipment and
appliances, as well as service.
We all know lightning can damage equipment, but what about other natural
disasters spawned from storms? And what can you do to prevent or lessen
damages to your property, and to protect your life?
Things to do before the storm:
- Store away some bottled water. This will be handy if you are on
a well that runs off your electric service.
- Keep on hand extra flashlights and a battery-powered radio. Also
store some extra batteries for the radio and flashlights. Candles
are another item to have on hand.
- Have a good supply of nonperishable food, such as canned goods,
powdered milk, dry cereal, and dried fruits.
- Plan for an alternate place to stay. Perhaps there is a relative
or friend that may not be affected by a storm the way you would be.
- If you think you might ride out the storm, store away some
blankets in case your heat is not working during the outage.
Things to
do during the storm:
- Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed while the power
is out. The food in your freezer will stay frozen 24 hours if the
door remains closed.
- If you see fallen power lines or poles, stay away from them. Let
the professional crews from the Co-op repair them.
- Call
the Co-op to report your outage. Don’t assume someone else will
call.
- Once you have called, don’t call to report the outage again.
This will tie up the phone lines and may block someone from getting
through.
- If you can go to a friend’s or relative’s home that has power,
go.
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