Are you prepared for a power outage?

Are you prepared for a power outage?

They happen unexpectedly and while temperatures are dropping, it can be dangerous. Spencer Hall, the spokesman for Rocky Mountain Power, said the first thing you need to do when your power goes out is let them know.

“Well that’s one thing that people do not understand. They think if the power is out, we know about it, and it’s not always true,” said Hall. “We don’t have a way to know each house that’s out. So we really need the public to call us when there’s an outage.”

Rocky Mountain Power said to avoid putting you and your family at risk of hypothermia during a power outage, follow these four steps.

Conserve the heat you already have in your home. Take towels or blankets and place them at the base of your door. This way you’re not letting a draft into your home. Consolidate by closing doors in unused areas. The heat from your body can raise the temperature in your home by a couple degrees. Keep moving. This will keep you warm and produce even more body heat. Layer your clothing. Don’t forget hats, gloves and scarves will keep you warm.

If it’s a prolonged power outage, then you need to be concerned with how to keep your food safe. This is especially a big concern for grocery stores like Broulims.

“If you keep your doors closed on your refrigeration unit, it’ll self-contain up to 12 hours,” said Skylar Oswald, manager of Broulims in Ammon. “Anything above 41 degrees is no longer considered refrigerated and is no longer a food-safe item.”

In the mean time, Hall says linemen are working to improve power lines and to make sure the power stays on.

If you experience a power outage, call your local power company immediately.

Rocky Mountain Power: (208) 522-0570 Idaho Falls Power: (208) 612-8430 Idaho Power: (800) 488-6151