The weather doesn’t have to be severe for a power outage to occur. Share the following helpful tips to encourage safety during a power outage.
- Use only flashlights for emergency lighting. Candles may cause a fire.
- Keep doors to kitchen appliances, like refrigerators and freezers, closed. If doors are unopened, food may be kept cold for an extended period of time. Turn to the pre-packed emergency kit for food and water supplies.
- Be aware of the temperature inside the home. If it grows hot, consider going to a local store or cooling shelter in the community. If leaving home isn’t an option, moving to the lowest level will help keep occupants cool.
- If it’s cold outside, wear several layers of clothing. Never burn charcoal or wood indoors and never attempt to use the oven as a heat source.
- Disconnect technology such as computers in case of power surges that may damage electronic devices.
- Never run a generator inside the home or garage.
Recommended procedure for using an emergency generator:
- Connect the generator cord to the transfer switch or inlet box.
- Turn all the circuit breakers in the transfer switch to the off position.
- Start the generator and let it warm up.
- Flip the main breakers in the transfer switch to the Generator position.
Communicate these helpful tips to those in your community. Stay safe the next time there’s a power surge. Have questions? Contact your local Paul Davis office for advice.