Northern Neck Electric Cooperative published the following article in the October 2008 issue of "Cooperative Living" Magazine.  It's worth reading and keeping at hand in the likely event of a power failure.

Northern Neck Electric Cooperative’s mission is to provide safe, reliable, electric service to our members. Severe weather and catastrophic events can disable the electric distribution system, interrupting the delivery of electricity to your home. Prepare now for an unexpected power outage.

Advance Preparation

Keep alternative sources of light on hand such as flashlights and batteries. 

Have at least one telephone that does not depend on electricity to operate (most cordless phones will not work without electricity).

Stock your pantry with non-perishable food items that do not need to be cooked and a manually operated can opener.

Make sure to have a supply of water on hand for drinking, cooking or flushing toilets. The general rule is one gallon of water per person per day.

Rotate your emergency supplies every six months to keep them fresh.

Keep bandages, disinfectant, and necessary medications on hand.

Have a portable radio with a fresh supply of batteries.

If Your Power Does Go Out

First check the fuse box or circuit breaker panel in your home to deter­mine if there is a problem in your home's electrical system.

If the problem is outside your house, call NNECs outage line 24 hours a day at 866-663-2688 to report the power outage.

Downed Power Line Safety

Weather and automobile accidents are the main causes of downed power lines. Stay away and warn others to stay clear of downed power lines. Downed power lines do not have to spark, arc, dance or move, or hum to be dangerous - the line can carry an electric current strong enough to cause serious injury or even death.

If you see a downed power line, move away from the line and anything touch­ing it. Call NNEC at 866-663-2688.

The proper method to move away from the downed line is to shuffle away in small steps, keeping your feet together and on the ground at all times.

If someone is in direct or indirect con­tact with the downed line, do not touch the person. Call 911.

Do not try to move a downed line or anything in contact with the line by using another object such as a broom or a stick.

Do not drive over downed power lines.

If you are in an automobile that is in contact with a downed line, stay in the vehicle.  Honk your horn for help but tell others to stay away from the vehicle. Call 911 if you have a cell phone, or have a passerby call.

Life-Support Members

If you or someone in your home uses life-support equipment that requires electricity to operate, please let NNEC know. A letter from your physician is required. NNEC keeps a list of all members who depend on electricity for life support. Have a back-up plan by identifying a loca­tion with emergency power capabilities. You may choose to relocate to a relative's or friend's house with electric power.

Generator Safety

Many customer-members have installed emergency standby generators to provide back-up power during outages. A properly installed generator can provide hours of comfort while NNEC line crews work to restore power. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) warns that potential hazards from using generators are: (1) carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning from the toxic engine exhaust; and (2) electrocution from improperly connecting the generator to your home's electrical wiring system.  An improperly installed generator can cause damage to your home or injury or death to a family member or an NNEC employee working to restore your electric service.  If not properly connected, the generator could energize the lines the NNEC crews are repairing. Avoid injury or death to your family, friends, and the employees of NNEC by following these guidelines:

To Avoid Carbon Monoxide (CO) Poisoning

Never use a generator inside your home or in attached garages.

Only operate the generator outdoors in a dry area away from air intakes to the home. Set the generator on a firm, level surface.

To Avoid Electrocution

Always read and follow the guidelines in your generator's operation manual. Know everything about operating your generator such as how to 

For portable generators, plug individual appliances that have their own outdoor­rated power cords directly to the recep­tacle outlet of the generator. If you use an extension cord, use an outdoor-rated extension cord having the sufficient wire gauge to handle the electrical load.

DO NOT plug the generator into any of your home's wall outlets or receptacles - this could backfeed power into NNECs power system and energize the transformer serving your house. This poses an electrocution hazard for NNEC line crews and your neighbors, who may not know the lines are energized.

Never modify a generator in any way.

Do not operate more appliances and equipment than the output rating of the generator.

Always turn off a a portable generator before filling it with gasoline.

Never store gasoline in the home.  Gasoline, kerosene and other flammable liquids should be stored outside of  living areas in properly labeled, non-glass safety containers.

Flammable liquids should not be stored in a garage if a fuel-burning appliance is in the garage.  The vapor from gasoline can travel invisibly along theshut the generator off quickly in case of an emergency. ground and be ignited by pilot lights or arcs caused by activating electric switches.

If connecting the generator into the house wiring is necessary, have a qualified electrician install a transfer switch.

                                    This page was last updated:  Sunday, July 26, 2009