This winter, Tipmont’s service area experienced 300 consecutive hours of below-freezing temperatures. That’s 12 1/2 days of cold so bitter that Antarctica was sometimes warmer.
While we also saw significant snowfall, our neighbors in southern states endured destructive ice storms that prompted extended electric service outages. At Tipmont, infrastructure investments help to harden our system against harsh weather. But there’s only so much we, or anyone, can do against rapidly accumulating ice or damaging winds.
If you don’t have a safety plan for a prolonged electrical outage due to severe weather, now is a good time to build one. This advice stems not from panic or premonition but from practicality and precaution. Below are a dozen tips to get started, as recommended by United States and Indiana governmental agencies:
- Take inventory: List every electric-powered device you’d need during an extended outage. Plan for battery backups or alternative power sources like portable chargers, power banks or an uninterruptible power supply (UPS).
- Flashlights for everyone: Have a flashlight for every person in your home, along with spare batteries.
- Consider a generator and use it safely: Fuel-powered generators should only be used outdoors and at least 20 feet from windows. Always do these three things:
- Keep the generator dry.
- Connect it to appliances using only heavy-duty extension cords.
- Let it cool before refueling.
- Do NOT use a gas stove or oven for heat: This increases both your risk of carbon monoxide poisoning and damage caused by open flames.
- Install a carbon monoxide detector: Using a stove for heat or improperly using generators can cause a buildup of odorless, colorless carbon monoxide that can sicken you and prove fatal.
- Talk to your doctor: Consult with a medical professional about preserving refrigerated medicine or how to continue using medically necessary electric-powered devices.
- Unplug unnecessary devices: This guards against damage from any electric surges.
- Save shelf-stable food and water: Stock up on non-perishable food and water supplies.
- Keep freezers and refrigerators closed: A full freezer generally holds its temperature for up to 48 hours and a refrigerator for four hours. Monitor temperatures and discard any meat or eggs — and most vegetables, grains or cheeses — that hit 40° F for more than two hours.
- Stabilize your temperature: Layer up with extra clothes or blankets when it’s cold or use battery-powered fans when it’s hot.
- Communication is key: Establish a reliable way for family and friends to reach you.
- Plan for alternate accommodations: Coordinate with those close to you should an electrical outage last long enough that you need another place to stay.
