Even in the best of times, being a parent is a full-time job with many responsibilities.
Today, being a parent or an educator has become even more complicated due to the impacts the COVID-19 pandemic is having on local schools.
As if circumstances needed to get more complicated, we’re fast-approaching the storm season in Southwest Washington.
Clark Public Utilities has poured a tremendous amount of resources into ensuring the local electric grid is robust in all conditions, but the occasional outage is inevitable. Prolonged outages are very rare in Clark County. In fact, most are resolved very quickly. But even the smallest interruptions can have a big impact on a child’s educational experience.
Utility employees understand how challenging these times are. Many of us are balancing the responsibilities of running a household, working remotely and supporting our children as they adapt to distance learning.
The utility is committed to supporting schools, students and their families during these challenging times.
“As hard as we work to prevent them, the occasional outage is bound to happen–especially in the rural parts of Clark County,” said Clark Public Utilities Education Engagement Specialist Amber Hall. “But we’ve put together resources and tips to prevent outages from becoming the snow days in the era of online learning.”
Each school district in our service area should have an outage response plan in place, but there are additional steps you can take, whether you’re a teacher or parent, to ensure to the school day is productive.
“Every home should have an emergency kit to get them through outages, and parents and educators should consider adding additional tools to keep class time from being disrupted,” Hall said. “Above all, be prepared for outages by having plenty of battery power and a way to connect to the internet.”
A fully charged cellphone is one of the most important tools to have on hand during an outage. Cellphones are essential for sending and receiving emergency alerts and, in a pinch, can be used for online learning sessions, to stream videos, and much more.
Some of today’s more powerful phones can even be connected to a keyboard, mouse and monitor. With their data enabled, they can function as mini-computers. Preserve your phone’s battery by turning off the Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS, if those functions aren’t necessary during an outage. Next set your phone to low-power mode, use texts instead of making calls, and close all unnecessary applications.
Some phones can be tethered to computers as a connection to the internet. If that’s not the case with yours, consider investing in a mobile hotspot as a backup to stay connected to class.
Laptops and tablets are also critical for online learning, but their batteries can drain quickly. Portable power banks are widely available in stores and online. Look for one that has a high milli Ampere hour (mAh). The higher number the greater the capacity. For context, most iPhones have an mAh of around 1500-3000, so a power bank with at least 5000-10000 mAh would work well for emergencies.
“If you need to charge a computer or have multiple devices in the home, you’ll want to select a larger power bank,” Hall said.
In a pinch, you can also use your car. Most newer cars have a USB charging port inside. Some don’t even require the engine to be running to charge the device. If yours doesn’t have one, adapters for the cigarette lighter are affordable. However, when you use them, be careful not to drain the battery, don’t leave the car unattended and never idle the engine in a garage or enclosed space–even if the door is open.
For other resources to help you be prepared, visit clarkpublicutilities.com/resources/emergency-preparedness.
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.
