What To Do... If The Lights Go Out.

The mission of Salem Electric is to provide members with reliable service -- day and night. Employees are constantly at work maintaining or replacing worn equipment, trimming and removing trees from the power lines, and upgrading the utility's power system.

Even with a modern and well-maintained system every electric utility, including Salem Electric, still experiences an occasional service interruption. Vehicle accidents, construction, animals and equipment failures can cause a power outage.

Despite our best efforts, severe and unusual natural events can wreak havoc and cause a power outage that can last for hours or days. Snow and ice, high winds, flooding and lightning are a few examples of natural conditions that can seriously damage power equipment in a large area. Even with crews working around-the-clock, repairs are time consuming, difficult and often dangerous.

Salem Electric has gathered suggestions that can help you cope during the long hours of an outage. Included are ideas on how to stay warm, cook meals and be safe.

Please print out this information and review the contents as the storm season approaches.

I. Be Prepared

Put together an emergency kit that is easily accessible in case of a lengthy power outage or other natural event. Supplies should include:

Flashlight, radio and fresh batteries. Keep the batteries separate until you are ready to use them.

Lantern/candles & matches. Be sure to use these on a flat, stable, non-flammable surface.

Bottled drinking water - at least one gallon per person per day. If a storm is forecast, fill the bathtub with water so bathroom facilities can still be used by pouring a bucket of water down the toilet to create a vacuum flush.

If you have a fireplace or woodstove, keep kindling and firewood on hand. To keep warm wear extra layers of clothing and cover your head with a hat. Have sleeping bags and blankets handy too.

Easy to prepare food items. Purchase items that don't require much cooking...canned or instant soups, stews or chili, packaged freeze-dried meals, and protein or breakfast bars are good to have on hand.

Gas camp stove or barbecue and fuel for cooking outdoors. !NEVER use a camp stove or barbecue indoors !

Ample supply of essential prescription medications and over-the-counter drugs. During a storm, road travel may not be possible for several days.

First aid kit.

Deck of cards or board games are also handy to help pass the time.

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II. What to do and not do when the power goes off

If the lights go off, know what steps to take to be comfortable, safe and help Salem Electric restore service quickly.

Check your electrical panel. Look for tripped breakers or blown fuses. Try to reset the breakers by switching them OFF then ON, and replace blown fuses.

Call Salem Electric 503 362-3601. If the power does not return after checking the electrical panel, report it to Salem Electric. Also, report any flashes, bangs or trees in lines that can help repair crews locate damage. Telephone lines are answered 24-hours-a-day; if the lines are busy, please try back later.

Turn off major appliances. The water heater and heating system breakers should be turned off to avoid overloading your circuits when the power is restored. Unplug voltage-sensitive equipment. Install surge protectors to guard equipment (T.V., computers, etc.).

Switch on an outside light. If visible from the street. This will help our crews tell if the power has been restored late into the night.

Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed. Food in a refrigerator will last for 12 to 24 hours if kept cool. A full freezer can last for 24 to 48 hours.

Radio reports. During a long outage, please listen to the local radio stations for updates and information.

NEVER GO NEAR OR TOUCH A DOWNED POWER LINE.

NEVER TRY TO WIRE A GENERATOR INTO YOUR ELECTRICAL PANEL.

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III. Important tips

Remember these tips during an extended outage. It's easier on everyone involved.

Portable generators. If not used correctly, these can cause fatal accidents involving the workers on the lines. Plug appliances into the generator. DO NOT connect household breaker circuits to the generator without a "double-throw switch" installed by a licensed electrician.

Emergency water sources. Run off from roof tops can be collected and used for washing, but do not drink it. A water heater can supply drinking water. Be sure the breaker is OFF before you drain it, and be sure to fill it before turning the breaker back on.

Keep the freezer full. Milk jugs filled with water and placed in a half full freezer can be a supply of both water and ice in an emergency. Also, it will keep the freezer colder longer if it is full. Check into purchasing dry ice to help prevent spoilage.

Please let the repair crews do their job. It's tempting to stop crews and ask questions about when the power is going to be restored, but this only delays the restoration process. Remember that while the crews want to be helpful, they also want to restore your power quickly.

Be a good neighbor. Severe storms usually increase the number of accidents and medical problems. Remember this increases the response time for service agencies. You may want to organize people in your area to check on each other and lend assistance.

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IV. Power restoration

Power is brought back up according to a system that enables us to restore power to the largest group of people in the least amount of time. The power must be restored in the following sequence because individual services cannot receive electricity until all of the previous steps have been taken.

1. Main transmission lines. Assure that these lines are supplying power to the substations.

2. Substations. Make any repairs necessary to get the substations operational.

3. Main distribution lines (feeders). These lines leave the substation and supply power to the majority of members.

4. Tap lines. These lines come off of the distribution feeders and supply groups of homes.

5. Individual services. Generally these lines serve only one resident. Most often they are the lines which go directly to a house from the pole.

This publication was compiled from information provided by the Northwest Regional Group (NRG), a group of electric cooperatives located in the Northwest.

For additional information contact Salem Electric 503 362-3601.

USE ENERGY WISELY!

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