Stay prepared during outages: report issues promptly, keep devices charged, and always put safety first around downed lines.
- Play it Safe: Never touch downed power lines or anything that comes into contact with power lines. Although you may see lines that are down, they could still be energized. Never attempt to move trees from power lines. Let qualified servicemen from Petit Jean Electric handle the clearing and repair work.
- Confirm the Outage: First, check lights and appliances in other rooms. If you still have power in some areas, most likely a fuse or a circuit breaker in your house has blown. If all the lights are off, check to see if your neighbor’s lights are off also. This will help us determine how widespread the outage is. Bear in mind that just because your neighbor has power (and you do not) does not necessarily mean the problem is limited to you. Your power may be on a different feeder line.
- Light: Always have alternate sources of light on hand. It could be a flashlight with extra batteries, candles, kerosene, or oil lamps. Keep your alternate light source in a designated location where it can be easily found in the event of an outage. Please exercise appropriate care and caution when using a light source with an open flame.
- Information: Have a battery-powered radio available. The radio will bring you weather reports, local news bulletins, and other important emergency information. During a widespread outage, Petit Jean Electric will contact local radio stations about restoration efforts.
- Food: Stock emergency food and related items, along with a manual can opener. Keep your refrigerator/freezer doors closed as much as possible to reduce the chance of food spoilage.
- Medical: It is a good idea in any rural setting, and particularly during seasons of potential inclement weather, to keep back-up medical supplies and equipment on hand (medications, insulin, oxygen tank, batteries, etc.)
- Protect Your Appliances: Turn off large appliances that come on automatically and disconnect sensitive equipment, such as surround sounds, streaming devices, computers, and TVs, to avoid damage from lightning or a power surge. If all these appliances come back on at once, they might overload your home’s electric circuits. Leave a single lamp turned on to let you know when your electric service has been restored.