How to Prepare for a Potential Power Outage

Although the Texas power grid seems to be holding strong during this week's winter storms, power outages are not out of the question since they can be caused by a number of reasons, including ice.

Wednesday’s weather forecast calls for the potential for freezing rain. The ice can accumulate on power lines and weigh down tree limbs which can also bring down lines, resulting in mass outages.

Here are some ways you can prepare for potential outages before losing power.

• Download the free NBC DFW app to stay on top of changing weather conditions. You can find it here.
• Keep your phones and devices plugged in and fully charged. Charge any backup batteries.

• Locate a working flashlight and keep it, and a blanket, handy.

• If you lose power, keep freezers and refrigerators closed. Ready.gov says a refrigerator can keep food cold for about four hours. A full freezer can keep its temperature for about 48 hours if it’s fully stocked. You can freeze bottles of water before an outage to take up space if your freezer isn’t full.

• You can keep a thermometer in the fridge, freezer or cooler to monitor food temperature. The USDA says the temperature in a fridge should stay at or below 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

• Do not use a gas stove or oven to heat your home.

• Follow manufacturer instructions if using a generator. As the Consumer Product Safety Commission explains, never operate a portable generator inside a home or garage. Opening doors or windows will not provide enough ventilation to prevent carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. Remember, CO has no odor so you won’t be able to smell a buildup of dangerous CO levels.

Also note that if you park your vehicle inside a garage, you may get stuck if your garage door opener doesn’t have a battery backup.

During an outage, Oncor said to use surge protectors to protect appliances or unplug electrical equipment to protect it from a potential surge when your power is restored.

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