Prepared for a Power Outage in NY?
Twenty years ago, New York and the northeast US faced the worst blackout in history. It left some without water and in high temperatures for days. Although power loss of that degree is unlikely, blackouts do happen. Just last month, severe weather ripped through the state and downed power lines. Sure, on the bright side of a blackout, you might save a few dollars on your NY electric bill. However, for your safety, you need to prepare for the less than sunny effects of power outages. So, do these 5 things when your NY power goes out.
5 Smart Ways to Respond to Power Outage
If you expect your electricity to be out longer than 30 minutes, do these 5 things.
- Follow Family Emergency Plan: for the safety of everyone in your home, make and follow through on an emergency plan for different scenarios. In a power outage, you might plan for everybody to meet at the front door or call for help if it’s unsafe to move.
- Report the Outage: after confirming the safety of your family, report the outage to your local electric utility. For example, residents in Albany can reach out to Central Hudson.
- Protect Appliances: unplug all your appliances or plug them into surge protectors. This will help avoid any damage from surges when the power comes back. Make sure you’re using surge protectors and not just power strips.
- Limit Fridge Use: The food in your fridge and freezer will stay colder the more you can leave doors closed. The fridge temperature will keep for about 4 hours with doors closed according to the FDA. The FDA also states a full freezer will hold its temperature for about 48 hours.
- Hot or Cold: during outages in the heat of summer, drink plenty of water. During outages in the winter, bundle up with layers and consider using non-electric heat sources like the fireplace.
Before a Blackout, What Can You Do?
You don’t have to wait for the power to go out to take action. Here are 3 simple things you can do to prepare for a power outage.
- Flashlights and Batteries: gather flashlights and batteries in an easily accessible place.
- Food: have non-perishable food on-hand like canned fruit and protein bars.
- Water: keep bottled water around. A 5-gallon jug is good for at least 2 years and more eco-friendly than a case of individual bottles.
Preparing for a power outage and knowing what to do when they strike will help keep you safer in emergencies. For more useful information about electricity in New York, visit https://www.nyenergyratings.com.