If your power goes off . . .
Confirm your outage by first
checking lights and appliances in other rooms. If you still have power in some
areas, most likely, a fuse has blown or a circuit breaker has tripped. This
could be a warning of overloaded wiring or a defective appliance. If all lights
are off, check to see if your neighbors lights are also off. This will help us
determine how widespread the outage is.
Call Black Hills Electric at
67304461 or 800-742-0085. Our phones are answered by cooperative personnel
24-hours a day, seven days a week.
Protect your appliances by
turning off all large appliances that turn on automatically. Make sure to shut
off your water heater, space heaters, air conditioner, water pump, refrigerator
and freezer. This will help prevent overloading your electrical circuits when
power is restored. Disconnect all sensitive appliances such as VCRs, computers,
TVs, microwave ovens, etc., to avoid damage from lightning or a power surge.
Turn off any appliances you were operating before the power outage occurred.
If the outage appears to be
for an extended period of time, open the freezer and refrigerator as little as
possible. Food will stay fresh longer if the doors are not opened. A full
freezer will keep food frozen for 24 to 48 hours.
If you use a standby
generator, be sure it has been installed and wired properly with a double-throw
switch. This will prevent electricity from flowing back into the power line and
possibly injuring someone.
Plan ahead and be prepared . . .
Always keep an alternate
source of light on hand, such as a flashlight with extra batteries, candles with
matches, or a camping lamp with appropriate fuel.
Keep emergency food and
related items on hand, such as non-perishable foods that require no cooking,
canned fruit, powdered milk, peanut butter and crackers. Keep a manual can
opener near your emergency food stock along with paper plates and plastic
utensils.
An alternate source of heat,
such as a wood stove or camping stove, should be available in case of an outage
during the cold months. Make sure the heat source you are using is properly
vented. Never use a heat source that was not intended to be used indoors. Keep
extra clothes, blankets or sleeping bags readily available.
When the power comes back on . . .
When the power first comes
back on, turn on only the most essential appliances and wait 10-15 minutes
before reconnecting the others.
Check food supplies for signs
of spoilage. Don't take a chance on food you are not sure about. It is better to
throw it away and be safe than to keep it and be sorry.
Obey the proximity law . . .
South Dakota state law states
that nothing may be placed within 10 feet in any direction of a power line. That
is the distance you should observe when working outdoors with equipment or
machinery, such as a crane, forklift, backhoe, dump truck, hay stacker, TV
antenna, drilling rig, irrigation pipes, or anything else that could get into a
power line.
Downed power lines . . .
We can't avoid downed power
lines, but you should! No matter how well your cooperative is prepared, we
cannot avoid downed power lines. Hours of freezing rain or strong winds can snap
a power pole without warning, leaving an energized line hanging dangerously low
or lying on the ground. Snowbound trees can fall, taking several lines down with
them. A vehicle could spin out of control into a pole and send a wire to the
ground. If you spot a downed power line, stay away from it. Call 673-4461 or
800-742-0085 immediately to report the downed line. Keep others away until
cooperative personnel arrive.
Electrical safety in your home . . .
Water and electricity do not
mix. Never use your hair dryer, power tools, radio, toaster or any appliance you
may have in your kitchen, bathroom, laundry room, garage, workshop or outdoors
near water. Do not use appliances when you are in the bathtub or shower. Look
around you, make sure it is safe to go near water.
Child-proof your home . . .
To protect your children,
child-proof your home against electric hazards. Outlets should be protected by
plastic caps. Make sure electrical cords are not frayed or cracked and keep them
out of reach of children. When bathing your child, make sure no electrical
appliances are near the tub or unplugged.
Beware of substations . . .
Never go inside the fence at a
substation. A substation is a place where huge amounts of electricity are
reduced to a lower voltage and sent along distribution lines. The substation is
fenced to prevent someone from getting electrocuted. Teach your children to heed
the Danger -- High Voltage warning signs and to stay clear. If a toy or animal
gets into the substation, contact the cooperative. We will retrieve it for you.
