Storm Season is Coming, Time to Get Ready Now

As the long, sunny days of summer in the Pacific Northwest fade into fall, it’s time to think ahead and prepare for the storms that are sure to follow.

On top of the gray skies, cold temperatures and rain, these storms pound our region with strong winds that lead to power outages. Seattle City Light has been doing its part to reduce this risk by clearing vegetation away from hundreds of miles of power lines, but there is no way to completely avoid problems when trees start swaying and branches start breaking.

Every City Light lineworker knows he or she is counted on to answer the call when the lights inevitably go out. And they are ready.

“Even while our families may be home in the dark, City Light lineworkers will be out there working to restore your power as soon as possible,” Crew Chief Michael Brooks said.

You, our customers, also have a big role in staying safe during storm season by: being prepared.

“All of us living here in the Pacific Northwest know we’re going to experience storms that will knock down trees and damage power lines,” City Light Superintendent Jorge Carrasco said. “That’s why it’s important to prepare now.”

When the power is out, the lights aren’t the only things that won’t work. Your home might not have heat. You won’t be able to cook with an electric stove or microwave. That cordless phone will go dead too. And it could take a while before service is restored.

Big storms can cause damage that takes days for crews to make repairs and restore. Last January, an ice storm left more than 200,000 people in the Puget Sound area without power, some for more than a week. City Light was fortunate and our tree trimming paid off. The longest any customer was without power was 21 hours and there were very few outages.

“Until the lights come back on, the first job for each of us is to stay safe,” Carrasco said. “A few simple preparations will make it a lot easier to ride out those storms, even without power.”

Start by assembling an emergency preparedness kit that has the essentials such as a three-day supply of non-perishable food and water, a flashlight with batteries, a portable radio, a manual can opener and a mylar blanket. Other items to add are a first aid kit, prescribed medications, an extra pair of glasses, and additional warm clothing or blankets.

If an outage does affect your home, you’ll have what you need while repair crews work to get the power back on. Some basic reminders include:

• Use battery-powered lights. They’re safer than candles;

• Keep the refrigerator and freezer closed as much as possible. Food can stay safe for a few days;

• Use hot water sparingly. Most hot water tanks will keep water warm for about 24 hours; and

• When the power is restored, turn on electrical appliances gradually. Sudden heavy energy use can overload your electrical system and extend the outage.

The tips listed on the chart below will help you and your family stay safe and warm until the power does come back on. For those of you who have a cell phone and can keep the battery charged, you can follow the estimated time that power will be restored by going to m.seattle.gov/light/ on your phone’s internet service and click on “Outage Map.”

Once you’re prepared, the next step is to talk with a relative, friend or neighbor about your storm readiness and create a plan for checking on each other in emergencies.

Fall and winter are also a good time to think about ways to save energy and keep your power bills low. Likely you will be using more indoor lighting. Did you know that you could save up to $150 a year on your electric bill by replace just 33 incandescent light bulbs? For more energy saving tips, please visit www.seattle.gov/light/conserve/resident/ or contact one of our Energy Advisors at (206) 684-3800.

This article is sponsored by Seattle City Light

This article appeared in the September 2012 issue of Northwest Prime Time, the Puget Sound region’s monthly publication celebrating life after 50.