The end of September always puts us a little on edge because it hails the start of storm season, which sets the stage for power outages. Hopefully by the time you are reading this, we haven’t been surprised by an early event. High winds can be particularly damaging when leaves are still on the trees and create an additional load that can cause branches to break, or trees to come down entirely.
What “being prepared” means for the PUD is the collective year-round process of vegetation management to clear brush and trees away from power lines, pre-storm season meetings of the Dispatchers, infrastructure improvements for reliability, and lots of communication!
We might sound like a broken record, but safety is our priority and with new people moving to our area all the time, the message about preparedness is always important. It was a wake-up call for us to receive the results of our customer survey and learn that the majority of our customers do not feel they are prepared for an emergency. It may be that it all just seems overwhelming and you don’t know where to start.
May we recommend beginning with a simple emergency kit? This is beneficial no matter whether you are dealing with a simple power outage, or a much larger event. Many of the following items you might already have at home! (Here’s a tip – these items also make wonderful holiday gifts for your family members not living in your house, like adult children, who also need to be prepared!)
A simple emergency kit includes such items as:
- Prescription medications and glasses (Keep containers of water, or blue ice packs frozen to keep refrigerated prescriptions cold for short-term events)
- Important documents or copies of documents such as ID, insurance policies, legal documents, etc in a waterproof container. (You can use a much smaller container if you have these on a thumb drive.)
- Cash and change
- Emergency blankets
- Change of clothing
- Fire extinguisher
- Matches in waterproof container
- Hand sanitizer
- Moist towelettes, feminine hygiene products, and garbage bags for personal sanitation
- First aid kit
- Water and non-perishable food for several days. (It is recommended to have a 30-day supply for a major event such as a Cascadia -level earthquake – big box and sporting goods stores often carry MRE-style buckets of meals for a 30-day supply)
- Extra cell phone charging power bank.
- Flashlight (ideally LED) and extra batteries
- Manual can opener
- Battery-powered or hand-crank radio so you can listen for updates without having to use your cell phone.
- Dust mask
- Plastic sheeting and duct tape
Don’t forget about those with unique needs like infants/toddlers, the elderly, and your pets! They may require other supplies that you will need to factor into this list.
Ready.gov has a wealth of information to help you prepare for a variety of emergencies and/or disasters including lists like this as well as family communication plans, and plans specific to those with unique needs as mentioned above. What’s in it for you? Some peace of mind knowing that you’ve crossed this off your to-do list. Remember the toilet paper hoarding during the pandemic? Be proactive, not reactive!
