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Stranded in the Dark? The Red Cross Sheds Some Light |
| Theallineed.com |
Icy weather and a historic power outage plunged thousands of Midwesterners into darkness as ice-laden power lines snapped under the weight of falling trees. More than 500,000 people were left shivering in the dark, with little hope of regaining power for at least a week. With temperatures plunging and winter storms posing a threat of power outages, the American Red Cross recommends following a few simple steps to keep your family safe in a power outage.
Use a flashlight for emergency lighting. Never use candles.
Turn off electrical equipment you were using when the power went out.
Avoid opening the refrigerator and freezer to keep your food as fresh as possible.
Do not run a generator in an enclosed or partially enclosed space, such as your home, garage, basement, or crawlspace. Never burn charcoal for heating or cooking indoors. Never use your gas range, oven, or dryer as a source of heat.
If you use a generator, connect the equipment you want to power directly to the outlets on the generator. Do not connect a generator to a home's electrical system.
Use a portable radio for updated news and weather forecasts.
Leave one light on so you know when the power returns.
The Red Cross is urging communities to take steps now to prepare for power outages that could affect their areas in the future. Taking preventive measures like building a disaster kit can go a long way during a winter storm, say preparedness experts.
An Illinois resident who survived a recent ice storm agrees. "We knew the winter storm was heading our way, so we made sure we had enough food and water to get us through a few days if needed," says Mary D. of Western Illinois. "When our power went out, we pulled out the Red Cross radio. It played weather alerts that were incredibly helpful for keeping us informed of the status of the storm. We were glad we had it."
 | | Sleet and freezing rain blanketed much of central United States with a thick coating of ice on Tuesday, killing more than twenty people and knocking out power to nearly a million homes and businesses. (Reuters/Dave Kaup/Courtesy of Alertnet.org ) |
Everyone can prepare ahead of time for disasters like a power outage by taking the following actions:
Build a disaster supplies kit. Your kit should include at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food items and water (one gallon per person per day), a flashlight, a battery-powered or crank radio, as well as batteries, can opener and special items such as medications, diapers, and infant formula.
Have a communication plan ready. If you have a telephone that requires electricity to work (such as a cordless phone or answering machine), plan for alternate communication, including having a cellular telephone, radio, or pager.
Keep your car fuel tank at least half full because gas stations rely on electricity to power their pumps. Also, keeping your gas tank full helps reduce ice build-up in the fuel tank and fuel lines.
Be sure to keep a key to your house with you, in case the garage door does not open. If you have an electric garage door opener, find out where the manual release lever is located and learn how to operate it.
Follow energy conservation measures to keep the use of electricity as low as possible.
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| About the Author |
More info in reccross.org
©2006 All rights reserved
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| Quotes | I have learned that success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome while trying to succeed.-Booker T. Washington
I gave my plants a special treat today. I watered them all-Maria S.
I dont understand this! Not a single part of my horoscope came true! ...The paper should print Moms daily predictions. Those sure come true.-Calvin
I dont wake up for less than $10,000 a day.-Linda Evangelista
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