CLEVELAND, December 21, 2022 ̶ The National Weather Service forecasts rain, wind, and snow for northeast Ohio beginning Thursday night, December 22nd. Are you prepared for extreme winter weather?
To help you prepare, Cleveland Public Power (CPP) offers the following tips to keep you and your family safe in your home:
- Charge all devices in advance of the storm; this includes chargers for cell phones and computers
- Make sure you have flashlights and batteries
- If you have battery-operated radios, TVs, or other devices, ensure you have batteries for these on hand
- Stock up on bottled water, snacks, and pantry items that do not require electricity
- Make sure all prescriptions you need are on hand
- If you require oxygen, ensure you have a backup
- Locate all extra blankets
- Purchase bags of ice or dry ice and place them in coolers to help keep food fresh in the event of an extended outage
Taking these precautions before the storm will help you stay warm in your home in the event of an interruption of electric service.
- If the power does go out, remember these tips on the shelf-life of food in your refrigerator and freezer:
- Food in the freezer will hold much longer. According to the USDA, “a full freezer will hold the temperature for approximately 48 hours (24 hours if it is half full) if the door remains closed.”
- If it appears the outage will last for a prolonged period, the USDA advises obtaining dry ice or block ice to keep the refrigerator cold. The USDA reports, “fifty pounds of dry ice should hold an 18-cubic foot full freezer for two days.”
- Unless a significant outage extends more than 48 hours, your food should be safe in the refrigerator if you leave the doors closed. After that point, you may want to prepare and eat the food.
To protect your electronic equipment during a power outage, unplug your television, computer, and any appliances to prevent a power surge when power is restored.
If you find yourself outside during the storm, here are some tips to keep you safe if you encounter downed wires or tree limbs in the roadway:
- Downed power lines – Never touch, move or go near any downed or hanging lines. The first action should be to call 9-1-1 or your local utility. The telephone number for CPP’s Trouble Line is 216-664-3156.
- Do not put your feet in water where a downed line is laying
- Do not try to move tree limbs
- If you see someone who has come into contact with a downed line, do not touch them, again call 9-1-1
- If a line comes down on your car, stay inside, roll down your window, and warn others to stay away. Call authorities or ask a passerby to call authorities. You should only exit a vehicle with a downed line on it if it has caught fire. If your car is on fire, open the door and jump with both feet together to avoid contact with the vehicle. It is metal, and you could receive a shock.
In the event of widespread outages, customers will also be able to follow updates on CPP’s social media sites @clepublicpower on Twitter and Instagram and ClevelandPublicPower on Facebook.