Winter is storm season in the Pacific Northwest. And although Clark Public Utilities proactively works year-round to prevent outages, they’re still bound to happen from time to time — especially during a major storm.
That’s why every household in Clark County should have a plan and an emergency kit ready for when the power goes out.
“No matter how many preventative steps we take, outages are a fact of life in our region,” said Clark Public Utilities Safety Manager Justin Zucconi. “Having a plan and keeping the right supplies in one place will significantly reduce the stress you experience during an outage.”
When making an outage plan, be sure everyone in the household knows how to get in touch with one another, get somewhere safe, and any other important information.
To build an outage kit, obtain a sturdy container large enough for three days’ worth of supplies and decorate it with glow-in-the-dark paint or stickers — those will help you find it when the lights go out.
Fill it with flashlights, extra batteries and, maybe, a power bank for necessary electronic devices. Also include canned or nonperishable food, a manual can opener, a small radio and a first aid kit. On a nearby shelf, store at least one gallon of water per person per day for up to three days. Finally, consider your family’s specific needs such as medications, diapers, etc., and place those in your kit.
To these same ends, always keep at least a half a tank of gas in your vehicle and keep an extra container or two of gas on hand. During a large outage, finding fuel may be a challenge.
Don’t forget pets
It’s also smart to have extra coolers on hand and plenty of ice in the freezer. Generally speaking, a power outage of two hours or less will be little more than an inconvenience and perishable foods should be fine — provided the fridge is kept closed as long as possible. If the outage runs longer than a few hours, consider surrounding the food with ice, or putting it in the coolers with ice.
Consider building a kit for pets as well. Having all their necessities in one place will make it much easier to leave home, if necessary. Include a sturdy leash, harness or carrier, plenty of food, water, a couple bowls and any important medications. Plan for their waste as well; poop bags for dogs and litter and a litter pan for your cats. A couple toys and some treats may also help.
“A quick internet search for family outage kits will generate numerous ideas and even options available for purchase,” Zucconi said. “The Clark Public Utilities and Red Cross websites, Ready.gov and cdc.gov/disasters/winter are all great places to start.”
When the power goes out at your home, let Clark Public Utilities know. Report outages with a call to 360-992-8000 or find a link to the digital reporting tool at ClarkPublicUtilities.com/contact.
Energy Adviser is written by Clark Public Utilities. Send questions to ecod@clarkpud.com or to Energy Adviser, c/o Clark Public Utilities, P.O. Box 8900, Vancouver, WA 98668.
