Preparation For Possible Power Outage

Step 1

Gather emergency supplies, such as candles, matches, flashlights and batteries, a battery-operated radio, a manual can opener and canned food.

Step 2

Know the location of the fuse box or circuit breaker in your home.

Step 3

Learn how to reset the circuit if necessary or change a blown fuse.

Step 4

Find out ahead of time how to manually override an electric garage door.

Step 5

Turn your refrigerator and freezer to the coldest settings if you think an outage could occur. This will help keep the food cold longer.

Step 6

Use a surge protector to protect electrical items like your computer, TV and VCR. This can prevent a sudden surge of electricity from damaging them.

Step 7

Have blankets or cardboard handy to cover windows in the event that the air conditioning goes out. This will help prevent drafts, and protect against sunlight.

Step 8

Identify the most insulated room in advance; that’s where you and your family can gather if you need to stay cool.

Step 9

Turn your thermostat to low and turn off the circuit breaker for your water heater to reduce a high demand for electricity once the power does come back on. This will help prevent an overload that can cause it to go off again.

Step 10

Leave one light switch on so you’ll know when electricity has been restored.

Source: e-How