Preparing for an approaching storm:

• Listen to weather forecasts and plan ahead.
• If you lose power, use flashlights. Do not use candles or kerosene lamps - they can create a fatal safety hazard.
• If you need assistance paying your utility bill, help is available. Call the Office of Home Energy Programs (OHEP) immediately at 1-800-352-1446. TTY users call 1-800-925-4434. You can sign up for OHEP programs all year.
• Develop a family emergency plan that includes alternative arrangements should the need arise to vacate your premises. Make provisions for special needs of any family member such as the elderly, handicapped, medically affected, or infants. If you are dependent on electric-powered medical equipment, you are encouraged to seek alternate arrangements (Customers with Special Needs) in the event that your electric service is interrupted.
• Keep the following items on hand:
  • Fresh batteries
  • A portable radio
  • Flashlights
  • A manual can opener
  • Matches
  • A battery-operated or wind-up clock
  • Non-perishable food (canned and dried food)
  • Fuses
  • Sterno
• Make a list of emergency phone numbers (including 1-877-778-2222 to report an outage to BGE) and keep a personal telephone book and one corded phone or cell phone on hand.
• Keep a first-aid kit in your home and one in your car. Don't forget to include:
  • Scissors
  • Tweezers
  • Safety pins
  • Aspirin
  • Eyewash
  • Rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide.
• Keep one gallon of bottled water available for each person in the household for each anticipated day without electric service.
• If your home is served by well water, fill a bathtub with water for sanitation use.
• Keep cash on hand.

Protect Your Food
To protect your food, keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible. Food will stay frozen for 36 hours or more in a fully-loaded freezer if you keep the door closed. A half-full freezer will generally keep food frozen for 24 hours. Consider freezing containers of water ahead of time. The blocks of ice will help keep your food frozen longer.

For more information on keeping food safe during a power outage, visit the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service:ABCD's of Keeping Food Safe in an Emergency

• Frequently Asked Questions
• Refrigerator Foods - When to Save and When to Throw Out

During a Summer Power Outage:

• Close all drapes and blinds on the sunny side of your home.
• Drink plenty of fluids.
• Take your family and pets to a cool basement location if you have one. Or consider going to an air-conditioned public place during warmer daytime hours.

During a Winter Power Outage:

• Gather in a central room where there is an alternate heat source like a fireplace, but be sure to keep a screen around an open flame. And don't close the fireplace damper while the ashes are still hot.
• During the day, open drapes and blinds to let the sun warm the space. Close them at night to minimize heat loss.
• If the indoor temperature drops below 55 degrees Fahrenheit, open faucets slightly so they constantly drip, thereby preventing pipes from freezing.
• Always remember these important heating safety tips:
  • A fuel-burning heater, such as kerosene, requires proper ventilation to prevent buildup of harmful fumes. Place these heaters on a hard, non-combustible surface.
  • Never leave children or pets alone with a portable heater when it's in use.
  • Never use a gas range for room heating.
  • Never use charcoal as in indoor heating or cooking source.

Protect Your Appliances and Electronic Equipment
Many home electronics are very sensitive and can be damaged during a power outage. Here are some precautions you can take to protect sensitive equipment:

• Purchase equipment with built-in surge protection or a battery-powered back-up system.
• Use electrical surge suppressors or arresters on your electronic equipment on properly grounded circuits. Most are designed to be plugged into a wall outlet.
• Plug your computers and other sensitive equipment into a separate, grounded circuit to isolate them from fluctuations caused by major appliance restarts.
• Consider having a lightning arrester installed at your main circuit panel.
• If you own a business, or have a home office, you might consider installing an uninterruptible power supply for temporary backup power for your electronic equipment.
• During a power outage, turn off all appliances, including your furnace, air conditioner, and water heater to avoid overloading circuits when power is restored to all appliances at once. Leave one lamp on so you will know when your service is restored.