Preparing For Power Outages

Tis the Season for Thunder Storms and Tornado Warnings, make sure you are prepared for power outages!

Make sure you are prepared for the potential power outages that may occur. Follow the below tips to ensure you are ready for any blackout situation.

• Purchase needed items for your office including

  • Flashlights

  • Batteries

  • Wind up or battery alarm clock

• Phones with answering machines and cordless phones are power dependent.

  • Have at least one phone that does not require power in case you need to call 9-1-1.

  • Keep your cell phone powered up.

• Familiarize yourself with your main electrical panel.

  • You may have to turn off the main breaker or have to reset circuit breakers after an outage.

• Make sure you have smoke detectors in appropriate rooms.

  • Change the batteries regularly, preferably every 6 months.

  • Test them monthly.

  • If your smoke detectors are wired directly into the electrical system they will not operate during a power failure unless the batteries are working.

• Have a fire extinguisher and know how to operate it.

• Have a fire evacuation plan and practice fire drills.

• During the power outage, unplug all small appliances and electronics to avoid damage from power surge.

• Leave one low wattage incandescent light on so you know when the power comes back on.