Consumer Tip for May 2004

Get Prepared Now for Summer Storms

Now is a good time to prepare your home for the summer storm season. Storms can cause your power to go out. A few precautions taken now can come in very handy during an outage. Be prepared. Plan ahead. Have on hand:

Ø      A first-aid kit with updated supplies.

Ø      Flashlights and extra batteries to use for light. Do not use candles for light, as a mishandled or unattended candle can cause a fire.

Ø      An emergency supply of bottled water and of food that doesn’t need to be refrigerated or cooked. It’s a good idea to have a 3-day supply of both food and water.

Ø      A battery-powered radio and extra batteries.

Ø      A cell phone or a landline phone that will work when the electricity is off.

Ø      A small cooler in case you may have medications that require refrigeration.

Ø      Surge suppressors for sensitive or important electric equipment.

Ø      Knowledge of how to manually open an electric garage door.