Tips for Handling Long-Term Power Outage

By Desiree Parker Monday, August 29, 2011

 

Thousands of residents in the Triangle will remain without power at least through the beginning of the week. WYDaily has collected several safety precautions and useful tips that can help reduce the risk of injury while the power is out.

 

Hurricane Irene knocked out power to 433,000 customers in Hampton roads and Northern North Carolina. Dominion Power reported this is the second-largest restoration project in Dominion history. They are working on getting power restored, and already lights are coming on in the Triangle, but it could take one or even two weeks before everyone can freeze ice cream or run a load of laundry at home again.

Until then, here are a few bits of advice WYDaily has collected over the past few days to help readers cope without the ultimate modern convenience.

Food Safety

The Centers for Disease Control recommends a freezer that is half-full will hold food safely for up to 24 hours. A full freezer will hold food safely for 48 hours. Pack refrigerated products such as milk, other dairy products, meat, fish, eggs, gravy and spoilable leftovers into a cooler surrounded by ice. Inexpensive Styrofoam coolers are fine for this purpose.

Use a food thermometer to check the temperature of your food right before you cook or eat it. Throw away any food that has a temperature of more than 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Remember, bacteria can grow on improperly refrigerated food.

Many grocery stores in the Triangle are open, and restaurants, too, so food will be available once yours is no longer edible.

Generators

There are lots of folks out there using generators while the power is out.

Dominion Power reminds people to use the generators in well-ventilated areas.

Also, plugging a generator into a regular household outlet can energize dead power lines and injure neighbors or utility workers. Customers should connect individual appliances that have their outdoor-rated power cords directly to the receptacle outlet of the generator, or connect these cord-connected appliances to the generator with the appropriate outdoor-rated power cord having a sufficient wire gauge to handle the electrical load.

Cleanup

Representatives of local hospitals told us over the last few days that many hospital visits occur after a disaster when people are cleaning up.

Be careful with chainsaws and other equipment, take your time and make sure when you are lifting heavy objects properly to avoid back injury.

The City of Williamsburg has been reminding residents to check on neighbors; this rule is still a good one if the power is out and there are vulnerable people who are living alone in your neighborhood.

Roads

There may still be some traffic lights without power. If you come to an intersection, remember to treat the intersection as an all-way stop. After stopping, proceed with caution.

Also be aware of workers attempting to clear the roads or restore utilities, and avoid downed trees and power lines.

Appliances

Don’t forget to unplug all your major appliances until the power comes back on. This includes televisions, computers and kitchen appliances.