We take electricity for granted, but when the power goes out during a storm, planned outage, mechanical failure, or for some other reason, being plunged into the dark is inconvenient. Ideally, that’s all it is. However, power outages can also be dangerous and can lead to injuries or fires in Homestead or your community.
Here’s how you can stay safe during a power outage:
- Keep children inside and well away from downed power lines: If a power outage has been caused by a storm, keep children indoors. Fallen branches, loose branches on trees, and downed power lines present a serious danger for curious kids.
- Have an emergency kit: Your emergency kit should get you and your family through 72 hours without power. This emergency kit should have batteries, a flashlight, a radio , chargers for your phone, blankets, water, medicine, cash, and a first aid kit.
- Stay alert for local warnings: This will help you know about any tornadoes or serious storms in the area that you need to be aware of. However, try to keep your cell phone use low or switch to a battery protection mode to make sure you can keep getting alerts if the power outage is an extended one.
- Unplug major appliances: Unplug your tv, computer, and other large appliances to prevent them from being damaged when the power comes back on.
- Make sure you have a working smoke detector: If lightning strikes your house or if fire starts any other way, you want to have a working smole detector that will alert you to smoke or flames.
- Never enter a flooded basement if you’re not sure whether power outlets are submerged: This could be an electrocution risk. If you have small children or pets, you may need to secure the basement door to make sure they do not go exploring.
- Use generators with caution: If you use a generator to have power, make sure you read and follow directions. Keep children away from the generator and run it in a ventilated area to reduce the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
- Keep refrigerators and fridges closed: This will help trap cold air inside. For extended power outages, replace any food which has become spoiled to reduce the risk of food poisoning. If you have medication you need to keep cool, call your pharmacist after the power comes back on to verify the medication is still safe to use.
- Consider heating and cooling needs: In Homestead and South Florida, temperatures can rise quickly without air conditioning. Keep doors and windows closed and blinds drawn during the day to prevent hot air from entering the house. If your home gets too warm, consider heading to public spaces, if possible, where you can enjoy air conditioning. Don’t forget to check on elderly friends and family to ensure they are safe.
If your family has been injured by a power outage or by a fire, contact Flaxman Law Group at 1-866-352-9626 (1-866-FLAXMAN) for a free accident consultation with a Hollywood personal injury attorney to find out whether you have legal options for pursuing compensation.