Freezing rain and snow have been predicted for our area. Although Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative will make every effort to keep the power on for every home and business in our community, icy weather can still cause our customers to temporarily lose power.
The following are some steps you can take before, during, and after an outage to make it easier
to cope.
Some of these steps are:
• Keep alternate sources of light on hand, such as candles, flashlights or oil lamps. Remember to keep burning candles or lamps away from curtains, and never leave them burning unattended.
• Stock nonperishable foods and keep a manual can opener handy. The ideal choices are foods that require no cooking, such as canned fruit, peanut butter and crackers. If you plan to use a charcoal or gas grill for cooking, keep the grill outdoors.
• Plan an alternate source of heat in the event of a cold-weather crisis. If you have a fireplace or wood stove, keep adequate kindling and firewood on hand. Have extra clothing, blankets or sleeping bags available.
• Make sure you have a corded phone available, since cordless phones will not work without electricity.
• Keep a full tank of gas in your vehicle.
• Keep a battery-powered radio with fresh batteries on hand, and stay tuned to local news bulletins and weather reports.
• Maintain a supply of cash. Credit cards and ATM machines may not work if power is out.
• Store extra water in clean jugs (for drinking) and in bathtubs or laundry tubs for flushing toilets (turn off water supply to the toilet, then pour water into the bowl to flush during a power outage).
• Make plans for alternate sources of power or alternate lodging in the event of an outage. If you are using a portable generator, always place it outside, never in the house, garage, attic, crawl space, or basement. Make sure your generator is connected safely, as an improperly connected one can cause serious injury or death. When your power comes back on, turn off and disconnect your generator.
To report an outage, call 1-877-74-SMECO
If you would like more information or a free brochure, "Coping With A Power Outage," call 1-888-440-3311, extension 4480.
The following are some steps you can take before, during, and after an outage to make it easier
to cope.
Some of these steps are:
• Keep alternate sources of light on hand, such as candles, flashlights or oil lamps. Remember to keep burning candles or lamps away from curtains, and never leave them burning unattended.
• Stock nonperishable foods and keep a manual can opener handy. The ideal choices are foods that require no cooking, such as canned fruit, peanut butter and crackers. If you plan to use a charcoal or gas grill for cooking, keep the grill outdoors.
• Plan an alternate source of heat in the event of a cold-weather crisis. If you have a fireplace or wood stove, keep adequate kindling and firewood on hand. Have extra clothing, blankets or sleeping bags available.
• Make sure you have a corded phone available, since cordless phones will not work without electricity.
• Keep a full tank of gas in your vehicle.
• Keep a battery-powered radio with fresh batteries on hand, and stay tuned to local news bulletins and weather reports.
• Maintain a supply of cash. Credit cards and ATM machines may not work if power is out.
• Store extra water in clean jugs (for drinking) and in bathtubs or laundry tubs for flushing toilets (turn off water supply to the toilet, then pour water into the bowl to flush during a power outage).
• Make plans for alternate sources of power or alternate lodging in the event of an outage. If you are using a portable generator, always place it outside, never in the house, garage, attic, crawl space, or basement. Make sure your generator is connected safely, as an improperly connected one can cause serious injury or death. When your power comes back on, turn off and disconnect your generator.
To report an outage, call 1-877-74-SMECO
If you would like more information or a free brochure, "Coping With A Power Outage," call 1-888-440-3311, extension 4480.
