* Check your service entrance box to make sure you haven’t tripped a breaker or blown a fuse.

 

* Call a neighbor and see if they are out of power, too.

 

* Call the REMC at 358-4458 or 800-288-4458 to report the outage. (Please be patient - other folks may also be

trying to call.)

 

* Disconnect sensitive appliances and equipment such as VCR’s, TV’s, computers, microwave ovens and your central air conditioner or heat pump. This will help prevent any damage by a power surge when the electricity comes back on.

 

* Turn on a single light switch so you’ll know when your power has been restored.

 

* Turn on a porch light so the REMC crew will know the power is back on.

 

* When the power is restored, gradually reconnect your appliances and equipment to avoid overloading circuits.

 

* Have any appliances or equipment damaged during a storm checked by an electrician or technician before

using them again.

 

 

Information to help you through an outage

 

We never know when a storm or an accident will cause enough damage to result in extended outages for some of our members.  We’d like to share some information that could help make any future outages a bit easier to bear.

 

Preparedness

The American Red Cross website provides some outstanding information on this subject. If at all possible, visit www.redcross.org/services/disasters for detailed information. We’re including a small part of that information here.

 

The Red Cross website recommends that everyone keep the following items on hand in case of an emergency that could result in a prolonged power outage:

 

Several coolers - Even the inexpensive polystyrene type can do an excellent job.

 

A quick-read digital thermometer - This will be important in checking the temperature of foods to determine if they can be kept or should be discarded.

 

Shelf-staple foods - Be sure to stock canned or boxed foods that can be eaten cold or that can be heated on a grill; powdered or canned milk.

 

Food storage

How quickly food will spoil? Here is more information from the Red Cross website:

 

How long will a freezer stay cold? According to information provided by the American Red Cross, a deep freeze unit that is full should maintain its temperature for about 48 hours. A half-full freezer should be okay for up to 24 hours.

 

How long will a refrigerator stay cold? - If it looks like the power will be out for more than 2 to 3 hours, the Red Cross recommends packing foods such as milk products, meats, fish, poultry, eggs, salads and leftovers in coolers and surrounding them with ice.

 

When in doubt, throw it out! As soon as power is restored, use a digital quick-read thermometer to check food temperatures. If food in a freezer still has ice crystals and is not above a temperature of 40 degrees Fahrenheit, it can be refrozen. Food in a refrigerator should not be used if it has been above 40 degrees for more than two hours. (The Red Cross website features a chart concerning freezer and refrigerator food safety.)

 

Cordless phones need electricity

Cordless telephones won’t work when the electricity goes out because electricity is needed to power the base unit. When the power goes out, so does the phone. It is a good idea to have at least one corded or fixed line phone that plugs directly into a phone jack in each home just in case of an emergency.

 

Answering machines

Answering machines also are disabled when the power goes out. If you leave home to stay elsewhere because of a power outage, you can use your answering machine to see if the power is back on. Just call home and, if your answering machine comes on, you know that electricity has been restored.

 

 

Outages - planned or unexpected - can be inconveniences for everyone. However, to people using health support equipment, an outage can be a major problem.  The REMC maintains a list of consumers using special equipment so we can contact these folks in times of planned or lengthy unplanned outages.

If you or someone in your household uses an oxygen concentrator, apnea monitor, nebulizer, or other medical device that requires electricity, we’d like to hear from you. We’ll add you to our list and arrange to notify you in the event of a planned outage or if we experience an extended unplanned outage. We’ll also send you an annual review letter to make sure our information is up to date. Just call, write or e-mail our Member Services Department to receive a life support registration form, or to ask questions about our notification program.

When there are widespread outages, who gets service restored first? Who comes next?

 

Jackson County REMC’s intent in any outage is to restore service to the largest number of consumers in the shortest period of time practical. We also must insure the safety of the general public and the REMC employees working in the restoration effort. Here’s how we decide where to send the crews when we experience wide-spread outages like the ones we experienced in January and February:

 

Transmission lines and substations

Electricity is transported from generating plants to substations through high-voltage transmission lines. When these lines fail, hundreds --- or even thousands --- of our members can be without service. These line and equipment failures must be found and repaired by the power supplier.

 

Three-phase feeder lines

During times of widespread outages, we first work to solve the problems that will restore power to the largest number of people. This usually involves our main three-phase feederlines that radiate in different directions from each of our substations. We can’t restore power to anyone until these lines are back in service.

 

Branch lines come next

After the main feeder lines come the branch lines. We attempt to restore the lines that feed the most customers first since it makes more sense to fix a line that will help 50 customers before lines that supply service to two or three customers.

 

Individual services follow

After the main feeder lines and the branch lines come the problems affecting individual services. Many times neither you nor the REMC are aware of an individual problem (such as a damaged transformer or a blown transformer fuse) until the main and branch lines are restored. We need to know if you are still out of service after your neighbors’ services have been restored.