Preparation Before a Storm:

• Keep your vehicles’ gas tanks full.
• Stock non-perishable food supplies, prescription medication, a first aid kit, a battery-powered radio, flashlights, and extra batteries in air-tight containers.
• Adjust refrigerator temperatures to the coldest settings to reduce the potential for food spoiling if the power is temporarily lost.
• Fill a bathtub and container with water for drinking and sanitation.
• Have a non-electric analog telephone or a fully-charged cell phone available in case you need to make an emergency call during a power outage.
• Heed the advice of local authorities. Evacuate if ordered.
• If an evacuation is necessary, unplug all appliances before leaving your home. Learn more

During a Storm:

• Heed the advice of local authorities. Evacuate if ordered.
• If power is lost, turn off all major appliances to reduce the chances of damage if a power surge occurs when electricity is restored.
• Do not take a bath or shower and avoid water faucets, which can conduct electricity.
• Do not handle any electrical equipment except for an emergency. Learn more

After a Storm:

• Avoid downed, damaged or loose power lines and report them immediately to the local police and fire department as well as to the local transmission and distribution services provider in your area.
• Never use a generator indoors, including garages, basements and crawlspaces, even with ventilation. Exhaust fumes contain high levels of carbon monoxide which can be deadly if inhaled. Even when left outside, keep generators away from doors and windows, and at least 10 feet away from your home. Also, allow your generator to cool off before refilling it with gas - splashing gas on hot generator components can lead to fire.
• Plug individual appliances into heavy duty, outdoor-rated extension cords and plug the cords into the generator. Check that the extension cords have a wire gauge adequate for the appliance loads. Make sure that each cord is free of cuts or tears and its plug has all three prongs, especially a grounding pin.
• Do not use electrical or gas appliances that have been wet, and do not turn on damaged appliances because of the hazards of electric shock or fire.
• Never use charcoal indoors because burning charcoal produces high levels of carbon monoxide that can reach lethal levels in enclosed spaces.
• Exercise caution when using candles. Use flashlights instead, if possible.
• Do not drive through standing water if downed power lines are in the water.
• If a power line falls across your car while you are driving, stay inside the vehicle and continue to drive away from the line.
• If electrical circuits and electrical equipment have gotten wet, or are in or near water, turn off the power at the main breaker or fuse on the service panel. If you must enter standing water to access the main power switch, call an electrician to turn it off.
• When power is restored to your home, do not start all major appliances at once; turn them on gradually to reduce damage to sensitive equipment. Learn more

To report a fallen power line or utility pole, please call 1-866-223-8508

For more hurricane information and weather updates, please visit the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration at www.nws.noaa.gov

Editor’s Note:

These tips are brought to you as a public service by CPL Retail Energy and are based on information from the following Web sites:
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nation/4388309.html
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml04/04197.html
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/511969_6