Outage Preparation

Being prepared for an outage will help you and your family cope, while we work to restore the power.

Outage Preparedness Kit

An outage preparedness kit will help you and your family cope during an outage. It should be stored in a designated place, so it is easy to find should the need arise.

Items suggested for the kit include: 

  • Bottles of water
  • Nonperishable food
  • Can opener

  • First-aid supplies
  • Hand sanitizer
  • Prescriptions
  • Pain reliever

  • Baby supplies
  • Pet supplies

 

  • Warm clothing
  • Blankets

  • Portable phone charger
  • Flashlights
  • Batteries
  • Battery-operated radio
  • Important documents
  • Money

 

  • Toys, books, and games

 

Learn more at SafeElectricity.org

Coping during an outage

Facing an unexpected electrical outage can be challenging. Here are some essential tips to help you stay safe and comfortable during a power outage.

  • Keep alternate sources of light in an easily accessible location. It could be a flashlight with extra batteries, candles, kerosene or oil lamps.
  • Have a battery-powered radio available for weather reports, local news bulletins and other important emergency information.
  • Stock emergency food and related items along with a manual can opener. Keep your refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible to reduce the chance of food spoilage.
  • Confirm the outage. Check lights and appliances in other rooms. If you still have power in some areas, most likely a fuse or a circuit breaker in your house has blown. If all lights are off, check to see if neighbors' lights are also off.
  • Report your outage by calling First Electric at 888-827-3322 or logging into SmartHub. Dispatchers will use this information and direct crews to the source of the problem.
  • Protect your appliances. Turn off large appliances that come on automatically and disconnect sensitive equipment, such as computers and TVs, to avoid damage from lightning or a power surge. If all of these appliances come back on at once, they might overload your home's electric circuits. Leave a single lamp turned on to let you know when your electric service has been restored.
  • Never touch downed power lines or anything contacting power lines. Although you may see lines that are down, they still could be energized. Never attempt to move trees from power lines. Let qualified First Electric personnel handle the clearing and repair work.
  • Give the electrical system a chance to stabilize gradually by reconnecting the appliances you previously disconnected. When the power first comes back on, turn on only the most essential appliances and wait a few minutes before reconnecting others.
  • Before switching back on your heating unit, check the outdoor unit to ensure that the fan and outdoor heat exchanger are free from ice and snow.