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Our name may be synonymous with safe, reliable and affordable power, but we want to make sure you're prepared when an outage occurs. www.ifpower.com 2 Assemble a disaster supplies kit. It should include enough food and water to last 72 hours plus a flashlight, batteries, cash and medical supplies. For customers reliant on electricity for life-saving medical equipment, we recommend maintaining batteries for back-up power and creating a plan for either relocating or recharging batteries during an outage. BEFORE DURING Call 612-8430 to report an outage. 12 steps to take before, during and after a power outage Develop an emergency communications plan. Ready.gov has advice to help you plan in advance so that everyone in your household knows where to go during an emergency. This is particularly important for anyone with a medical condition who relies on electric service. 1 Learn how to override any electronic devices in your house. If you can't manually open your garage door, your vehicle could be stuck inside. 3 Know where your fuse box is located and how to reset a breaker or change a fuse. Please check your breakers/fuses before reporting an outage. 4 Turn off or unplug sensitive electronics and appliances. This protects equipment and prevents circuits from overload- ing when power is restored. Leave on one light so you know when the outage is over. 5 Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors shut. An unopened refrigerator will keep food cold for 4 hours; a full freezer, nearly 48 hours. 6 If you have a portable generator, don't plug it into a wall outlet. This could cause electricity to back feed onto the grid, creating a deadly situation for line crews. 7 Never burn charcoal or use a camp stove or propane heater for heating or cooking indoors, and do not use your oven as a heat source. This could start a fire or lead to carbon monoxide poisoning. 8 10 11 12 AFTER Turn on electrical appliances gradually, not all at once. This prevents circuits from overloading, causing another outage. When in doubt, throw it out. Throw away food that's been exposed to temperatures above 40 degrees for 2 hours or more, or if it has an odd odor, color or texture. Check on your neighbors if you can. Pay special attention to the elderly or those with medical conditions or mobility issues. Restock your emergency kit. 9