5675 Route 87
PO Box 65
Forksville, Pa 18616
Customer Support: 570-924-3381 or Toll Free 1-800-570-5081
Report an Outage 570-924-3418 or Toll Free 1-800-596-8397
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Preparing For Emergencies
How can I survive a power outage?
The Boy Scout motto "always be prepared" is the mindset you need when preparing for an outage. You don't want to wait until it's the middle of the night and stumble around in the dark to find a flashlight and after a bruised knee discover the batteries are dead. You have to prepare an emergency kit and check it regularly to make sure everything you have is ready to go in the event of an outage.
*
Flashlights, extra batteries and matches. Keep them where you can find
them in the dark.
*
Battery-powered radio.
*
Battery-powered or wind-up clock.
*
Canned or dried non-perishable foods, and a manual can opener.
* A
safe alternate source of heat and extra fuel (wood, kerosene).
*
Extra blankets and warm clothes.
* One
gallon of bottled drinking water per person per day.
* A
gallon of liquid chlorine bleach for sanitizing utensils and dishes.
* A
regular (not cordless) phone. * Never use open
combustion units (gas
or
charcoal barbecues, hibachis) inside the home.
* If
traffic lights go out, treat all intersections as 4-way stops. It’s
required by
law
for safety.
*
Minimize driving to conserve fuel. You cannot refill the tank during a
power
outage.
*
Stay away from downed power lines and sagging trees with broken limbs.
*
Don’t get wet if you have no way to get dry.
*Contact Sullivan
County REC to report the outage. Call our outage reporting number
924-3418 or our toll free number, 1-800-596-8397.
* Turn off lights and electrical appliances except
for the refrigerator and freezer. Even if it's dark, turn light
switches, buttons on lamps or appliances to the "off" position.
* After turning the lights off, turn one lamp on so
you will know when power is restored. Wait at least 15 minutes after
power is restored before turning on other
appliances. There is no good time for a power
outage. In the summer heat and humidity can cause the temperature
inside the home to rise quickly. In the winter the opposite is
true and keeping warm is hard to do.
I know my electric furnace won't work without electricity, what about my gas heater?
No. Thermostats,
furnace fans and blowers all run on electricity.
* Wear extra layers
of clothes and use several layers of blankets.
* Do not get wet if there is no way to get dry.
* Drink and eat enough to preserve health.
* Close off all rooms that are not in use and do not
need to be heated.
* To keep rooms warm, close curtains, shades or
drapes. Cover doors and windows.
If I have an alternate
heat source, how can I make
sure I'm safe when using it?
* Don't burn anything
inside your home without adequate ventilation to outside.
* Be sure to have on hand enough fuel available for
alternate heat sources, such as wood for a wood stove.
* Never use gas ovens, gas ranges, barbecues, and
most portable or propane heaters for indoor heating. These units use
oxygen and create carbon monoxide that can cause suffocation.
* Before using an alternate heat source, read the
manufacturer’s instructions.
* Have fire fighting materials: dry powder, fire
extinguisher, heavy tarp or blanket, water.
* Don’t touch or get
near any fallen lines.
* Stay away from objects or puddles in contact with
downed power lines.
* Notify the utility company.
Use generators only
as independent power sources. Keep them outside and run a cord inside.
Don’t connect generators to main service panels. This could injure or
kill utility workers trying to restore power.
* Use foods that
spoil rapidly first.
* Keep cold food cold. Use dry ice or an ice chest.
In winter, store food
outside.
* Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed to
conserve cold air.
* If food is cold to touch, it is probably safe to
keep, use or refreeze.
* Discard meat, seafood, dairy products and cooked
food that are not cold to
touch.
* Fruits, vegetables and food in undamaged cans are
safe.
* Food that needs no refrigeration: jelly, butter,
margarine, ketchup, mustard,
pickles, relish.
* If in doubt, throw it out.
* For information on food safety, call your health
department or cooperative
extension service.
If the water from your tap is clear:
* Boil it for 3
minutes. This kills disease-causing bacteria and parasites, OR
* Add 1/8 teaspoon household bleach per gallon of
water. Let it sit for 1/2 hour.
If water is cloudy -
* Pour it through a
coffee filter and boil it for 3 minutes.
* If you can’t boil it, filter it and add 1/4
teaspoon of bleach per gallon. Let it sit for 1 hour.
What should I do if I
or someone else
has chronic health
problems?
Unfortunately
it is often impossible to determine when power will be restored during
a system wide outage due to storm damage. Crews will work to
restore power as quickly as possible and often additional crews brought
in to assist.
But, there
may be times when you will be without
power for days. If you or someone you know has a chronic health
problem talk to your doctor about an emergency supply of prescription
medicine. Keep a 30 supply in your emergency kit. Be aware of the
expiration date on the medication and rotate a fresh supply into the
kit an a regular basis. If you are on life support, register with your
utility company, and have a backup power supply on hand.
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