PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The Philly region just went through its first winter storm of 2024, and another is on the way. The Pennsylvania Public Utility Coalition (PUC) put out a list of tips for households to prepare, stay safe, and recover from any potential power outages that may come with the weather.
Nils Hagen-Frederiksen, press secretary for the PUC, said if your power goes out during a storm, report it right away.
“Make that call, because it helps the utility crews assess the size and scope of the issue and it could help to accelerate repair work,” said Hagen-Frederiksen.
In a release, the PUC says residents should not assume the utility company already knows about an outage, so it’s important to call and report it. Be sure to also memorize or have your utility company’s number written down before a storm hits and keep cellphones charged beforehand.
Hagen-Frederiksen also said to treat downed power lines as if they were live at all times. They’re especially dangerous when the ground is wet.
“Rain or snow or ice on the ground, those things can conduct electricity as well, so you could be shocked or injured even though you are some distance away from a live wire,” he said.
Inside the house, he said to disconnect all electrical appliances, except for the refrigerator and the stove, to avoid sudden surges that can damage equipment when the power comes back on.
“Just unplug and turn off the things that you can unplug and turn off,” said Hagen-Frederiksen.
For those households with natural gas appliances, electric outages can also impact their functionality upon power returning to the home. Should they not function properly after an outage, PUC suggests calling a professional for repairs. If gas is smelled, evacuate immediately to a safe area away from the home and call 911.