Power cuts can occur due to rolling blackouts, extreme weather conditions, or can accompany other disasters such as earthquakes. Blackouts can happen anywhere, and to anyone, so being prepared is important.
A common emergency to many households, Delaware has experienced its share of blackouts. Delaware was affected by the 2003 Northeast Blackout, and numerous other blackouts over the past 10 years. Though it seems small and insignificant, what would you do without power for a week? Think it can't happen here? It can.
If there is no power in your neighborhood:
- Turn off and unplug appliances and computers. Leave one light on to indicate when power has been restored.
- Avoid using candles, as they are fire hazards.
- Do not use a gas stove for heating or operate generators indoors (including the garage.) Both could cause carbon monoxide poisoning.
- If a traffic signal is not working, treat it as a stop sign.
- Fill plastic containers with water, leaving about an inch of space inside each one for the frozen water to expand. Place the containers in the refrigerator and freezer. This chilled or frozen water will help keep food cold for several hours if the power goes out.
- If you use medication that requires refrigeration, most can be kept in a closed refrigerator for several hours without a problem. If unsure, check with your physician or pharmacist.
- Back up computer files and operating systems. Consider buying extra batteries and a power converter if you use a laptop computer.
- Turn off all computers, monitors, printers, copiers, scanners and other electronic devices when they are not being used.
- Get a high-quality surge protector for your electronic equipment.
- If you have an electric garage door opener, find out where the manual release lever is located and learn how to operate it.
- If you have a telephone at home or at work that requires electricity to work (such as a cordless phone), plan for alternate communication, including having a standard telephone handset, cellular telephone, radio or pager.
- Keep your car fuel tank at least half full because gas stations rely on electricity to power the pumps.
- Remember that equipment such as automated teller machines (ATMs) may not work during a power outage, so make sure you have extra cash at home.
- Know if you live in an area that has rolling blackouts. A rolling blackout occurs when a power company turns off electricity to selected areas to save power. The blackouts are typically for one hour, then the power is restored and another area is turned off. Hospitals, airport control towers, police stations, and fire departments are often exempt from these rolling blackouts. They can happen at any time of day and may affect the same area more than once a day.
- See the Food section to learn about food safety when your refrigerator’s power is off.
Outage Maps and Contact Information:
Delmarva Power
Kent and Sussex Counties: 1-800-898-8045 New Castle County: 1-800-898-8042
Delaware Electric Cooperative
Normal Hours: Sussex County: 349-9090 Kent County: 398-9090 New Castle County: 1-800-282-8595
After Hours/Emergency Service/Holidays Sussex County: 349-9009 Kent County: 398-9009 New Castle: 1-800-282-8595
City of Newark
366-7050
City of New Castle
323-2330
Town of Middletown
378-2711
Town of Clayton
Town of Smyrna
653-9231
City of Dover
736-7086
City of Lewes
645-6228
City of Seaford
629-4550
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