How to report power outages in SC from Idalia and prepare for an extended loss of electricity
With Idalia gaining strength, many South Carolina residents may start to have growing concerns about potential power outages.
As many might be aware, it can be easy for extreme weather conditions to cause a mass power outage around your home, neighborhood and surrounding area.
In the event that this occurs during an emergency storm situation, safety is the most important thing to attain, which boils down to being prepared.
Such preparedness could include:
Having secondary light sources
Staying dry and warm or cool depending on the weather
Providing food for yourself and your loved ones
If you don’t own a generator or severe weather situations are prohibiting the use of a generator for a period of time, it is important to know certain steps you can take to stay safe during a power outage. Once these things have been gained, salvaging perishable items and reporting the outage should be your next steps.
In addition, remember to report all power outages to your utility provider.
The South Carolina Emergency Management Division (SCEMD) provides a statewide list to report power outages in your area to your electricity provider.
Safely maintain a generator-free light source during a power outage
As long as you have a portable charger or other way to keep your mobile device charged in case of an emergency, most mobile phones, such as the IPhone or Android, have a flashlight. Although this may deplete your phone battery, using your wireless cell phone’s flashlight can also provide light in a necessary situation. Be sure to keep a portable charger on hand to keep your phone charged in case of emergencies during a power outage.
Buy a flashlight or battery-powered (LED) lantern to keep on hand in case of a power outage. When preparing for a possible power outage, be sure that there are enough flashlights for family members and enough lanterns to provide ample light. While preparing, make sure each light source has new batteries to replace the old ones. These, rather than candles, are safest and help prevent accidental fires or injuries and are more portable in case of emergency. Headlamps can also be helpful when the wearer may be moving around frequently and needs to be hands-free. Be sure to keep extra batteries on hand as well depending on the possible length of the power outage. If possible, candles should not be relied on as they are not recommended because they pose a serious fire and health hazard along with having a shorter lifespan.
Staying cool during a power outage
Dress in lightweight clothing and stay on the coolest, lowest level of your home. Remember, hot air rises.
Use natural ventilation to cool homes, if weather permits.
Consider purchasing battery-powered fans to keep you cool as you wait for power to be restored.
Close all drapes and blinds on the sunny side of your home.
Prior to any serious storm that could knock out your power, as a part of your preparedness plan, make a list of nearby shelters and hotels in case you can not stay in your home. If you have pets, be sure to check if the location is pet-friendly. For a list of some pet-friendly hotels in South Carolina, visit https://www.bringfido.com/lodging/state/south_carolina/.
Food preparations during a power outage
Keep ample amounts of water bottles and bottled beverages on hand in the event you lose access to water. If you prefer not to use water bottles, make sure you have a clean source of water that doesn’t require you to rely on your home.
Keep coolers with ice on hand to keep refrigerated items cold if the power is expected to be out longer than 4 hours. Be sure to keep this lid closed as much as possible.
Limit the use of your refrigerator or freezer. Open the appliance door only when absolutely necessary. This will help retain cold air and temperatures within.
If bad weather and possible outage could be predicted, try going to the store and picking out your favorite non-perishable snacks and foods that don’t require any cooking. In addition, keeping a generator on hand can help keep appliances running.
Keep a supply of ice packs in your freezer to use in coolers or your refrigerator or freezer in case of an outage to help preserve cooler temperatures in the appliance. If severe weather is approaching, or you suspect you may lose power, put some water bottles in the freezer. Once frozen, they will help maintain a colder temperature to help salvage any food that needs to be kept cold.
In the event of a power outage, a refrigerator can keep food cold for about 4 hours if it is left unopened. Whereas a full freezer can maintain its temperature for approximately 48 hours or 24 hours if it is only half full and the freezer door remains closed and unopened. Frozen food tightly grouped together helps to maintain a cold temperature, according to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA).
Be sure to store food on shelves, so it can be safely out of the way of contaminated water in case of flooding.
Food preparations during a power outage
Keep ample amounts of water bottles and bottled beverages on hand in the event you lose access to water. If you prefer not to use water bottles, make sure you have a clean source of water that doesn’t require you to rely on your home.
Keep coolers with ice on hand to keep refrigerated items cold if the power is expected to be out longer than 4 hours. Be sure to keep this lid closed as much as possible.
Limit the use of your refrigerator or freezer. Open the appliance door only when absolutely necessary. This will help retain cold air and temperatures within.
If bad weather and possible outage could be predicted, try going to the store and picking out your favorite non-perishable snacks and foods that don’t require any cooking. In addition, keeping a generator on hand can help keep appliances running.
Keep a supply of ice packs in your freezer to use in coolers or your refrigerator or freezer in case of an outage to help preserve cooler temperatures in the appliance. If severe weather is approaching, or you suspect you may lose power, put some water bottles in the freezer. Once frozen, they will help maintain a colder temperature to help salvage any food that needs to be kept cold.
In the event of a power outage, a refrigerator can keep food cold for about 4 hours if it is left unopened. Whereas a full freezer can maintain its temperature for approximately 48 hours or 24 hours if it is only half full and the freezer door remains closed and unopened. Frozen food tightly grouped together helps to maintain a cold temperature, according to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA).
Be sure to store food on shelves, so it can be safely out of the way of contaminated water in case of flooding.
Additional tips to remember
Fill up your car with gas prior to an expected power outage in the event of severe weather, etc. Gas stations rely on electricity to power their gas pumps and your car may be necessary to use in case of an evacuation, to charge your phone or other devices in the event of an extended outage or even to get personal use of air conditioning or heat.
Never drive over downed power lines or through dangerous areas affected by severe weather. This includes heavily flooded areas or places with downed trees and other debris-blocked roadways.
Use surge-protected cords and cables for any device or equipment that requires being plugged into an outlet. If you do not own a surge-protected cord and cannot purchase one, disconnect appliances, computers, devices and other plugged-in equipment if an outage occurs. This is to avoid any potential damage that could be caused in case of a possible “power surge”.
After reporting your outage to your electricity provider, generally, companies will have a map displaying areas with current outages. For example, a map of current outages for Palmetto Electric Cooperative can be viewed online at http://64.203.243.70:83/ for Palmetto Electric Cooperative (PEC) outages and https://outages.ecsc.org/outages/maps for Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina (ECSC) outages. Check with your local provider for more information.
