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From The Director - Rebalancing Long Term Care....an update
Be prepared for a storm
1. Check medications that require refrigeration.
Be sure you know if they will be affected by a prolonged interruption of power. Talk with your pharmacist. You may also want to keep a small cooler handy.
2. Put refrigerator and freezer at coldest settings.
Do this a half day or so before the storm is scheduled. Keep a blanket handy to throw over these appliances for added insulation, if needed. (Be sure to return the settings to their normal position as soon as the crisis has passed.)
3. Get extra ice.
Ice can help maintain cold temperatures in your freezer and refrigerator. Put plastic bags filled with ice (or water, if you have enough time to freeze it) in the freezer. Use block ice, if possible, in the refrigerator.
4. Set aside water.
This is vital if you depend on a water pump that might be disabled during a storm. Sanitize and fill spare containers with water for drinking. Fill your bathtub with water for use in the toilet. (Do not leave small children unattended near a filled bathtub.) A bucket of water poured in the toilet is all that’s needed for flushing. In frigid weather, if your power is likely to be out for more than a few days, you should drain your water pipes and put denatured alcohol in your toilet tank and bowl, and sink drains.
5. Prepare alternative sources of heat.
Even a gas or oil furnace needs electricity to operate, so if you have a fireplace or wood stove as an alternative heat source, be sure you have enough wood. A portable electric generator can be a valuable backup source of power to operate your furnace and appliances. Just be sure you have it installed by a professional. If you have no alternative heat, find out where an emergency shelter will be. Call your local fire or police department or local Red Cross.
6. Unplug sensitive equipment.
Voltage irregularities can occur for any number of reasons during or after a storm, especially if there has been damage on or near your home. The safest thing to do is to unplug any sensitive electrical devices (e.g., TV, VCR, stereo, microwave, computer, answering machine, garage door opener). Planning ahead, you may wish to consider surge suppressors. They can be purchased either for individual pieces of equipment, or for your entire house.
7. Fill your car’s gas tank.
You just never know where you may need to go, or how long it will take to get there.
8. Plan to live without everyday tools that need electricity.
Your garage door opener, for example. Be sure you know how to get the door open and shut manually. And remember to get cash ahead of time - ATM or automatic teller machines may not work.
This article was drawn from information provided by Western Massachusetts Electric Company.