Being prepared is taking responsibility for the safety and comfort of yourself and those around you. That means staying informed, having the supplies you need, and making wise choices. As winter storm season approaches, the Co-op asks all members to please prepare for the possibility of outages. During major storms, outages can last several days. This annual checklist is published in Co-op Currents to help you get ready. You may not have or need every item on this list, but scan it before big storms to make sure you do have what you need to ride out a multi-day outage.
Annual Winter Storm Checklist
Be aware:
- Pay attention to local weather reports
- Sign up for school closings, road alerts, and weather alerts on electronic devices
- Follow travel precautions
- Contact 511 for road closures
- Contact 211 for local assistance, like emergency food and shelter
- Charge phones, tablets, computers, and other devices
- Address potential storm hazards on your property, like a chimney that needs cleaning or a dead tree limb hanging over the driveway
Check your supplies:
Food and dining
- 3-5 days of nonperishable food for each family member, including pets
- Hand-crank can opener,
- Large cooler or ice chest, frozen ice packs
- Disposable plates, cups, and eating utensils
Water
- Fill containers with water for drinking and buckets or bathtubs for household use. If you’re on a well, you won’t have water when the power goes out.
- Flush toilets sparingly with a bucket of water
- Have a way to boil or otherwise purify water
Health and comfort
- Extra medication, oxygen, or other health essentials
- First Aid kit
- Sleeping bags or blankets
- Warm, dry clothing
- Personal hygiene supplies
- Extra baby supplies, if relevant
Lighting
- Flashlights and headlamps
- Spare batteries
- Candles and matches
Devices, safety, and entertainment
- Charged phones, laptops, and tablets
- Charged EV or full tank in gas car
- Shovels and/or tuned up snowblower
- A fire extinguisher
- Wind up or battery alarm clock
- Portable radio
- Books and games
Have a plan:
- Do you have backup heat that does not rely on electricity?
- If you have special health needs, do you have ice packs to keep medication cold, backup oxygen, or a generator?
- Do you have someone you can call if you need assistance?
- Do you have neighbors who may need special assistance? If you can assume responsibility to check on them, do their family members have your contact info?
- Does your town have an emergency action plan?
- Do you have a place you can go if you need to leave town for a few days?
- Have you updated WEC if someone in your household has, or no longer has, medical needs that require wellness checks during an extended outage?
In case of longer outages:
If your power is going to be off for hours or days, here are some additional precautions you and your family can take:
- Turn off and unplug electrical equipment. Leave on one light inside so you can tell when power is turned back on.
- Turn on an outside light that is visible from the road so that Co-op crews can see that your power has been restored.
- Close external doors, windows, curtains, and doors between rooms. This will help your home retain heat in cold weather.
- Keep the refrigerator and freezer closed tightly. If you’re not sure food is safe to eat, don’t eat it.
- Know how to override your electric garage door opener.
- Conserve tap water. Water will keep hot in your water heater’s tank for up to three days.
- Keep warm in layers of clothing and blankets.
- Keep active.
- Use the fireplace wisely and safely. Do not leave the damper open when not in use.
- Pets like tropical fish and birds are very sensitive to temperature changes and will require special care.
- If you have a landline, it will probably work—the telephone company uses a separate, low voltage power supply. Use it to keep in touch and stay informed.