Power Outage Preparedness

Report an outage: 509-422-3310 or 800-922-7011

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Inventory the items you need that rely on electricity.
Determine whether your home phone will work in a power outage.
Plan for batteries and other alternatives to meet your needs.
Keep mobile phones and other electric equipment charged and gas tanks full.
Review your power outage kit supply:
- Flashlights
- Batteries
- Water
- Nonperishable food

Check your breakers to ensure it's not isolated to your panel.
Check on your neighbors.
STAY AWAY from downed power lines or broken poles.
DO NOT attempt to remove fallen trees or branches tangled in power lines.
Be careful with candles and other open flames.
Keep freezers and refrigerators closed. The refrigerator will keep food cold for about four hours. A full freezer will keep temperature for about 48 hours.
Generators:
- ONLY use generators outdoors and away from windows!
- Never try to power your house wiring by plugging the generator into a wall outlet. This can lead to the electrocution of utility workers or neighbors served by the same utility transformer.
Have alternate plans for refrigerating medicines or using power-dependent medical devices.
Disconnect appliances and electronics to avoid damage from electrical surges.
Do NOT use a gas stove to hear your home.

Food - When in doubt, throw it out!
- Throw away any food that has been exposed to temperature 40 degrees or higher for two hours or more, or that has an unusual odor, color, or texture.
Medication - If the power is out for more than a day, discard any medication that should be refrigerated, unless the drug's label says otherwise.
- If a life depends on the refrigerated drugs, consult a doctor or pharmacist and use medicine only until a new supply is available.