Staying warm without power

Fifteen-hundred homes in Aberdeen lost their power after a truck hit a power pole on Highway 39 around 7:53 p.m. Monday. Power wasn’t restored until 12:10 a.m., nearly four hours later.

With the temperatures in the negatives, KIDK Channel 3 Eyewitness News/KIFI Local News 8 thought a reminder on how to stay warm in the winter without power was needed.

Kim Stouse, community relations specialist with the Pocatello Fire Department, said the first thing everyone needs to do is make sure the home is completely closed off. However, a big mistake people make is to bring things meant for the outdoors inside the home.

“People think propane heaters are alright to use (indoors), but only if you have the proper ventilation,” she said. “Also, people think they can use their gas cooking stoves to warm their home. The problem with that is if you’re not careful, it could put carbon monoxide in the air.”

An easy way to warm up is to pile on the blankets and to layer up. Putting on a coat, a sweater, a pair of long johns — even putting on a hat can make a big difference.

One way to raise the body heat is to drink something warm, taking a warm shower can help as well. Even with your power gone, your home should still have some warm water for a few hours.

Stouse adds where your family is could determine how much heat you get.

“People think sometimes basements are generally colder than maybe the main levels or the upper levels,” she said. “However, when the power goes out, your basement will actually retain heat better than other floors because it’s got the dirt around it.”

If you have a car or other vehicle, you could also go inside it and use its heating system. If it’s in a garage, be sure the garage is well-ventilated to prevent carbon monoxide from circulating into your vehicle.

Also, to prevent a power surge from happening when the power comes back on, make sure your major appliances are unplugged.