Are you prepared if severe weather knocks out power?
Delaware Electric Cooperative‘s Jeremy Tucker shows us what you need to survive an outage.
Late summer weather and the warm waters of the Atlantic Ocean are ideal conditions for hurricanes.
Hurricane season runs through November 30th. These tropical storms and hurricanes can knock out power for days.
You need to be prepared for these power outages prior to the storm. You can purchase or create your own emergency kit. The kit should include a three-day supply of water, non-perishable food, plenty of flashlights and batteries, a first aid kit and a portable radio for you to hear emergency information.
“When it comes to things that are bad and that might not happen, people tend to put them out of sight out of mind and don’t really plan a lot of times until it’s too late,” Delaware Electric Co-Op Emergency Planner, Brad Ebaugh says.
Jeremy reminds us that if you use a portable generator during a storm, never run it inside a garage or shed. They give off carbon monoxide, which can be deadly.
Jeremy reminds us to stay away from downed electrical lines and damaged electrical equipment, and to assume all lines are energized.
“As far as what advice I have if you see a downed power line is I would act like it’s a rabid dog,” Brad says. “Stay away from it, tell authorities or call 911, but stay away from it. It can look dead, but still be carrying 7200 volts and it will fry you very quickly.”
Generally, food in the refrigerator will keep if the power outage is less than four hours. If the fridge temp rises above 40 degrees for more than an hour or two, food should be thrown away. Your freezer will keep food cold longer, usually, one to two days.
These tips can keep your family safe when the power goes out.
Delaware Electric Co-Op:
Address: 14198 Sussex Highway, Greenwood, DE 19950
Phone: 1-855-332-9090
Email: callcenter@decoop.com
Hours: Mon-Fri, 8:00 am – 4:30 pm
Delaware Electric Co-Op Facebook
Sean shows us a game to play when the electric goes off — Flashlight Pictionary. If the electric goes out, this a great game for the family. A person draws a picture in the dark, and then another person shines a flashlight on it for 10 seconds and tries to guess what it is. Jimmy and Lisa give it a try!
