What should my family do during an extended outage?

  • If power goes out, turn off electric heating /cooling system depending on season
  • Turn off appliances and lights leaving one light on to signal the restoration of power
  • Open refrigerators and freezers only as needed
  • After power has been restored, turn on heating/cooling system and appliances one by one over a period of time to minimize strain on system and prevent cold-load pick-up problems
  • Report all damage in your community. If you cannot get through to SWAECC, it may be because others in your area are calling to report damage.
  • Listen to local radio stations for updates
  • If the weather is extremely cold, seek shelter if possible