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BE PREPARED FOR WINTER STORMS: December 2007

With the onset of ice and snow, it’s good to be prepared in the event that your electric service is disrupted for any period of time. The following tips will help you to

be prepared for the inconveniences that power outages can bring for you and your family:

Be prepared.

Always keep these items on hand and easily accessible:

• Battery powered radio
• A flashlight
• Additional batteries
• Battery-powered or wind-up clock
• Corded telephone
• Water (at least one gallon per person, per day)
• Canned food, especially items that can be eaten without being heated. Also have a non-electric can opener available.
• Candles and matches
• First-aid kit

 Be safe and smart.

• Stay away from downed power lines, and warn others to do the same.  Report downed power lines to Midwest Energy Cooperative.
• Do not touch any object that is in contact with downed power lines and do not drive your car over downed power lines.
• Turn off all appliances, including your furnace, air conditioner, water heater and water pump.  That way you will avoid a circuit overload when power is restored to all appliances at once.  Leave on one lamp to know when power has been restored. 
• Keep freezer and refrigerator doors closed.  Food will stay frozen for 36 to 48 hours in a fully loaded freezer if you keep the door closed.  A half-full freezer will generally keep food frozen for 24 hours.  If it looks like the power outage will be prolonged, prepare a cooler with ice for your freezer items.
• Keep candles away from furniture, curtains or any other flammable material. Never leave children alone in a room with a burning candle or open flame.
• Never use gas stoves, charcoal or briquette grills or camp stoves to heat your home.

 Power outages are an unfortunate reality, but one for which you can be prepared with a little planning and forethought.  As always, if you do lose power please notify us at 1-800-492-5989.  You can easily report your outage on our automated attendant by pressing “1” when the up-front message begins then following the instructions.