WINTER STORMS can cause tree limbs to fall onto power lines, disrupting service to Clark Public Utility customers.
The season of cold, stormy weather is here in the Pacific Northwest and power outages can be a regular occurrence with blustery winter storms.
Clark Public Utilities offers several tips on how to be prepared in case your power goes out once or twice this winter.
Consider having the following outage preparedness supplies in the home in case of an extended outage:
• Flashlights and batteries
• Radio, battery-powered or hand-crank
• Manual can opener
• Three-day supply of drinking water (especially if you’re on a private well)
• Non-perishable food that is easy to prepare (cereal, peanut butter, crackers)
• Extra blankets and warm clothing, including a hat
• Firewood and kindling
• Sleeping bags
• Clock, battery powered or wind up
• First aid kit
• Cash
What to do when the power goes out
If your power does go out, call the Clark Public Utilities PowerLine at (360) 992-8000 to report an outage as soon as possible. They respond to outages 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
If your power goes out, be sure to immediately turn off all electrical appliances, especially heating or cooking units. That way when power is restored, the appliance does not come on automatically and create an unsafe situation.
Other tips for when your power goes out include:
• Leave your porch light switched on, as well as a light inside your home, so you and repair crews will know when service has been restored.
• Turn down your thermostat and and turn off the circuit breaker for your water heater. This will help reduce initial demand for electricity when power is restored. If the demand is too great, the system will overload and cause the power to go off again.
• Turn off and unplug other electrical equipment, including DVD players, VCRs, computers, television sets, stereos and microwave ovens. It will protect your equipment in case there is a change in voltage as the power comes back on. It’s also a good idea to use a surge suppressor to protect your valuable electrical equipment and appliances.
• Do not turn equipment on again until lights have returned to their normal brightness.
• Open the refrigerator door as seldom as possible so cold air stays inside until the power comes back on. Remember, pork, poultry, fish and ground meats spoil quickly at room temperatures above 40 degrees. Other foods that spoil quickly include custards, creamed foods or any food containing mayonnaise.
• Food will stay frozen for about two days in a full freezer, or about one day in a freezer less than half full. It helps to cover freezers with blankets and quilts. Food may be refrozen if it still contains some ice crystals. If in doubt, throw it out. Dry ice may be added to the freezer to help keep food frozen. Wear gloves and place it on top of cardboard or newspaper rather than directly on food packages.
• Make sure you have one or more working flashlights at hand with extra batteries. Use caution if you light candles.
Clark Public Utilities advises customers to remember that when the power goes out, they are trying to get it restored to all customers as fast as we can. However, they have to prioritize repairs to minimize outages. Repairs in rural areas often take longer than outages in urban areas because power lines are longer and may have more points of damage. If, after an outage, power is restored to your neighbors but not to you, Clark Public Utilities staff ask that you call them again.
Check out the Outage Map or find out more about what to do during a power outage at www.clarkpublicutilities.com.
