Friday, January 30, 2009
Power outage facts and safety tips
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Courtesy of Vectren via The Chamber of Commerce of Southwest Indiana. Restoration of Electric Service Vectren customers should consider the personal impact of having no electric service for an extended period of time given restoration time could be multiple days. Some customers may go through the weekend without power. Vectren crews are working diligently and around-the-clock to both restore service and ensure affected neighborhoods are made safe. Crews are working with all available parties to consider both temporary and permanent solutions to restore service to our customers as quickly as possible. Extensive damage has occurred throughout the Vectren service territory in southwestern Indiana, including multiple downed power lines, poles, trees and tree limbs. The type of repair work needed to restore service in these situations is longer than normal given the need to cut and remove trees, install new poles and run new lines. Vectren Energy Delivery crews are restoring service throughout the seven-county region in Southwest Indiana. Service restoration is typically prioritized based on the number of customers who will be re-energized by the repair work, i.e. a restoration that will impact 3,000 households takes priority over a restoration that will impact 25. If you have not reported your power outage: 1. Call 800.227.1376 2. Follow the prompts to report the outage via Vectren's automated system, or you can speak with a customer service specialist during normal business hours. If you have reported your power outage: 1. You do not need to report your outage again. 2. Vectren call center staff will likely contact you to confirm your outage has been restored once restoration has occurred in your neighborhood. 3. Unfortunately, Vectren cannot provide exact details and timelines on when your service will be restored. American Red Cross Shelters Metro Evansville area: (812) 471-7200 Princeton: (812) 386-6300 Santa Claus: (812) 471-7200 Posey County: (812) 471-7200 Warrick County: (812) 897-0390 Downed Power Lines Downed power lines can carry an electric current strong enough to cause serious injury or possibly death. High voltages also may be transmitted through materials other than power lines. A wooden pole, a kite, cable or other normally non-conducting material may carry an electrical current if it becomes wet or soiled. 1. It is not possible to determine if a downed power line is energized. Never touch or attempt to move a downed power line or a person who is in contact with a power line. 2. Keep children and pets away from areas where power lines may have fallen. 3. Don't drive over downed power lines. 4. If a downed line is near water, keep a safe distance from the line and the water, even if it is a small puddle. 5. Be careful not to stand under tree limbs or power lines. Tree limbs can become weakened during a storm but not fall until several hours or even days after the storm. The same can be true for power lines or poles that sustain damage. Please note: Vectren and its contractors will repair the service line from the pole to your premise. However, the line going from your electric meter up to where the service line meets the premise, what Vectren calls the service riser, and the meter set are the responsibility of the customer. If the service riser (line) and/or the meter set are damaged or ripped off the house and you are without power because of that, you will need to call a qualified electrician to make the necessary repairs. Generator Safety If you use a generator use extreme caution and follow these safety guidelines. 1. Consult a licensed electrician to select the right generator for your situation. Make sure that the generator meets national and local electrical safety code requirements. 2. Make sure the generator is in a well-ventilated area to reduce the risk of breathing harmful fumes such as carbon monoxide. 3. Do not use generators inside or near buildings where exhaust could enter the building due to carbon monoxide risks. 4. Never connect the generator's electrical output to any home or building electrical circuits. 5. If the generator is connected to a breaker panel or fuse box, turn off or disconnect the main breaker to the house while you are using the generator. 6. Never plug a generator into a wall outlet. 7. Plug appliances directly into the generator. 8. Avoid contact with bare wires and terminals. 9. Always use a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) in any damp or highly conductive areas. Other Tips 1. Do not use charcoal or gas grills inside closed areas, including garages and porches, due to carbon monoxide risks. 2. Use flashlights when necessary. If candles must be used, keep away from pets and children and any flammable materials. 3. Unplug computers, TVs, VCRs, and other sensitive appliances. This will minimize the risk of possible damage to these devices when power is restored. 4. Turn off all but one light, so you will know when electricity has been restored. 5. Turn off all heat producing appliances like electric irons and heaters to prevent fires in case no one is home when power is restored. 6. To prevent water from freezing in lines and possible bursting, allow faucets to drip and flush toilets regularly or turn water off. General Food Safety Guidelines 1. Keep refrigerator doors closed. Refrigerated food should be safe for about 4 hours. But milk, dairy products, eggs, meats and all cooked foods spoil quickly. Discard these foods if the temperature in the refrigerator rises above 40 degrees for two hours or more. When in doubt, throw the food out. 2. Keep the freezer doors closed. Food in a full, free-standing freezer will stay at freezing temperatures for about 48 hours without power, a half-full freezer will stay frozen about 24 hours. If a freezer is not full, move packages together to insulate them and keep them as cold as possible. Frozen foods that have partially or completely thawed before power is restored may be refrozen safely if there are still ice crystals or the food's temperature is 40 degrees or below. Smell Natural Gas? Any customer that smells natural gas in their home or business is reminded to do following: • Leave the area (home or building) of the gas leak, as well as areas where the odor of gas is noticeable, immediately. • Call Vectren at 1-800-227-1376 from somewhere other than the location of the gas leak. • Remain in a safe area until emergency personnel arrive and do not return to the area where the odor of gas is noticeable or re-enter the building or surrounding buildings. |
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