Prepare For An Outage
Outages may not always be predictable, but when a large storm is on its way, there are a few things that are important to do.
- If you or someone in your household has a medical condition which requires powered equipment, be sure to have a plan to transport them to a facility that can help them.
- Charge up all of your electronic devices and any battery packs that you may have.
- Put together a storm readiness kit.
- This may include the following: flashlight, batteries, drinking water, canned food, first aid kit, lighter or matches, a battery powered portable radio, and any other supplies which may be needed in the event that your home or business is without power or clean water for an extended period of time.
- In extreme cases where you may have to leave your home, you should prepare additional supplies to bring with you.
- Secure any objects outside that may be blown away by strong winds. This may include bringing those objects inside.
- Keep an eye on the weather and local news stations for updates and additional advice on how to prepare for the specific storm.
When there is a threat of a large storm, Marietta Power will keep extra employees on call so we can respond as soon as an outage occurs.
When a power outage occurs, it is always stressful, but by taking the proper steps, you may be able to keep everything under control.
- Whenever you experience an outage, your first step should always be to determine if you are the only person on your street without power. If you are or you are not sure, it is worth checking your breaker panel.
- If it is not a problem in your house, please report the outage . No matter how many people are without power, it is always important to report.
- If you notice the power comes back on for your neighbors and you are still without power. Please, call the Power Control Center at 770-794-5160 to let them know.
- It is possible that equipment on your home that you own is damaged and may require repairs before power can be cut back on. We will do everything we can to notify you if this is the case.
Safety is key when it comes to handling a power outage. Follow these steps to keep yourself and our employees safe while your power is being restored.
- Always stay at least 10 feet away from downed power lines. If you see a downed power line, please call Power Control Center at 770-794-5160.
- If the line has fallen on a fence or a tree has torn the line down, do not attempt to touch the tree or fence. Also, avoid areas with debris that may be hiding power lines.
- If you have a generator, make sure it is properly wired and your house is disconnected from the grid while in use. If your generator is portable. it should not be wired to your home. Instead just plug any devices directly into the generator, and be sure not to overload it.
- When using fuel burning generators, only run them outside.
- Avoid opening your refrigerator or freezer during an outage. This will keep food safe for much longer (Up to 4 hours in the refrigerator and 24 hours in the freezer). However, when the power is restored, always remember, when in doubt, throw it out.
- If you have any electronic devices that are sensitive to power surges, such as desktop computers, you may want to unplug them while the power is out and wait at least 5 minutes to plug them back in after an outage has been restored.
- Do not light candles for light. Instead, use flashlights.
- If it is cold outside when the outage occurs, dress in layers, and try to remain in one room of your home with south facing windows.
- Cold weather also cause a risk of pipes freezing, so a small amount of water can be left running to avoid this.
Once your power has been restored, there may still be dangerous situations outside. Please avoid and report the following to the Power Control Center at 770-794-5160:
- Downed power lines. Continue to avoid them. If anybody has been hurt from coming in contact with a downed power line, call 911 immediately and do not attempt to touch them.
- Trees on the power line. During a storm, a tree may lean against a power line without causing an outage. This is still an unsafe situation.
If there are any other situations you find that make you unsure about your safety, call the local authorities.