What to Do if the Power Goes Out
Wildfire season is a good reminder that preparation matters. If the power goes out, being informed and having a plan can make a difficult situation a little easier. If Douglas Electric Cooperative needs to initiate a Public Safety Power Shutoff, or PSPS, we notify members through automated calls, our website and social media, and provide updates as conditions allow.
There are a few things you can do to help yourself, your neighbors, and our crews:
- Call our prerecorded wildfire status line at (541) 673-6616, option 4.
- Check your electrical panel for tripped breakers or blown fuses. If a breaker has tripped, switch it all the way off, then back on.
- Report your outage to Douglas Electric at (888) 420-8826. Report anything unusual to DEC, such as flashes, loud bangs, trees in the lines, or other signs of damage. Our phone lines are answered 24 hours a day, or you can report your outage through SmartHub. Once an outage is reported, our crew will get the lights back on as soon as it is safe to do so.
- Stay away from downed power lines. Never touch downed power lines, and never drive over them. Always assume downed lines are live.
- Never wire a portable generator directly into your electrical panel. If connected incorrectly, a generator can send power back onto the line and seriously injure a lineworker.
- Turn off major appliances, including your water heater and heating system breakers, to help prevent an overload when power is restored.
- Unplug sensitive electronics or use surge protectors.
- If you need to drain water from your water heater, make sure the breaker or fuse to the water heater is turned off first.
- If this was not a planned outage or PSPS, turn on an outside light. At night, that light can help us tell when power has been restored in your area.
- Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible. Food in a refrigerator
- can last up to 24 hours if the door stays shut. A full freezer can often last up to 48 hours. Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible. Food in a refrigerator can last up to 24 hours if the door stays shut. A full freezer can often last up to 48 hours.
- Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible. Food in a refrigerator can last up to 24 hours if the door stays shut. A full freezer can often last up to 48 hours.
- Keep a battery-powered or hand-crank radio available for emergencies. Listen to local stations, such as KQEN AM 1240 or Sam FM 104.5, for updates.
- When the power is out, the best thing you can do is give our line crews room to work. We understand folks want answers, but stopping a crew to ask when the lights will be back on slows down the work everyone is counting on. Our crews work hard to get the job done safely so they can get home to their families.
- Check on your neighbors, especially those who may need a little extra help, and do what rural communities do best—take care of each other.
Sincerely,
General Manager Keith Brooks