Power outage prep: What to have on hand before the lights go out
Residents are encouraged to prepare for potential outages by gathering essential supplies. According to a community announcement, it is vital to consider medical equipment needs. Those relying on electricity for medical devices should consult their healthcare provider for guidance on medication storage during outages.
Emergency supplies are crucial. FirstEnergy recommends having a flashlight with extra batteries, sleeping bags or blankets, and a battery-powered or hand-crank radio for updates. Additionally, residents should stock up on drinking water and nonperishable food.
Keeping devices charged is another important step. Ensure phones and essential gadgets are fully charged before storms. Having a car charger and a backup battery can be beneficial.
Generators can provide backup power but must be used safely. Never connect a generator directly to the home's electrical system without proper isolation from power lines, which should be done by a qualified electrician. To avoid carbon monoxide poisoning, place generators at least 20 feet away from windows, doors and garages, and always operate them outdoors in well-ventilated areas.
Food safety is also a concern during outages. Residents should keep a thermometer in the refrigerator and freezer to monitor temperatures. Using ice can help maintain cold conditions if the power goes out.
Taking small steps to prepare can significantly impact safety and comfort during emergencies. For more power outage preparedness tips, go to www.ready.gov/power-outages.
This story was created by Janis Reeser, jreeser@gannett.com, with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at https://cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct/.
The Herald-Mail is growing its local news: Send your news to us
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: Don't wait for the storm — how to prep now for power outages
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBS News
an hour ago
- CBS News
Tuesday in Philadelphia will be warm as Canadian wildfire smoke blankets parts of region. Here's the forecast.
A touch of haze from Canadian wildfire smoke will continue to blanket much of the Philadelphia region, which will filter the sun and slightly limit afternoon warmth on Tuesday. That smoke will likely be with us for a few days as the winds favor bringing the smoke into our area. Those northerly winds, however, will keep our humidity levels moderately low for this time of year, so at least that's a bonus. Tuesday stays warm and dry, with highs near 90 and a bit more humidity under partly cloudy skies. Clouds will build Tuesday evening as moisture moves in on an onshore flow. By Wednesday, high pressure to our north keeps us mainly dry, but clouds increase from a system to our south. A few stray showers are possible late Wednesday into Thursday, mainly south and east of the city. Temperatures will dip into the upper 70s and low 80s on Thursday before rebounding into the mid-80s for Friday and the weekend. Other than a stray shower chance, mainly south of the city, we'll be on a fairly dry stretch to start August. The next chance of region-wide showers isn't until Sunday and Monday of next week, so enjoy some guilt-free rainless days. Tuesday: More clouds. High 89, Low 66. Wednesday: Mostly cloudy. High 80, Low 70. Thursday: Mostly sunny. High 81, Low 69. Friday: Mostly sunny. High 84, Low 65. Saturday: Sun and clouds. High 85, Low 65. Sunday: Shower possible. High 85, Low 68. Monday: Scattered showers. High 89, Low 72. NEXT Weather Radars Hourly Forecast
CBS News
an hour ago
- CBS News
How you can keep wildfire smoke out of your home
Feel free to breathe a deep sigh of relief. The dangerous air Minnesota endured for nearly a week is behind us. That being said, the wildfires burning in Canada haven't stopped. Homeowners know the saying, "water finds a way." Add wildfire smoke to that distinction, another savvy invader harming indoor quality, where people should feel protected from it. "Unfortunately, there's no device that we have currently that can just push air out of your house without also sucking in some of that air," said Jared Christopher, a service technician with Standard Heating and Air Conditioning in Minneapolis. "I would say instead of trying to focus on how not getting into your home, maybe it's like, once it's in your home, what do we do to treat it?" Air conditioning units, specifically split systems that provide central air in a home, can be your first defense. It has to do with the filter in them. "You're going to have a blower and that blower is constantly moving air throughout your home. So, the stale air that's, let's say, in your bedroom or kitchen, that gets sucked through your return grill, and it passes through a filter," said Christopher. "If we have a really good filter there that's able to capture smoke, smoke particulates, we can capture some of that smoke." When looking for a furnace filter during these smoke events, you want to check the Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) rating. Essentially, the higher the number, the better it is at filtering particulates in the air. The rating starts as low as one and goes as high as 16. To remove fine particles related to wildfire smoke, a filter must have a MERV rating of 13 or higher. Christopher suggests MERV 13 as the best one to grab. Once you go higher, the filter paper thickens to a point that HVAC units must work harder for the air to flow through them. Christopher says a MERV 13 filter "gives you the best of both worlds at cleaning the air in your home but also not stressing your system out." Experts say air purifiers and air cleaners will help, too, just make sure the air purifier has a HEPA air filter in it to trap the tiny particles. "If you have those, I would definitely grab one or two, place them in maybe a main room and a bedroom," Christopher said. If an air purifier is out of your price range, there is a more frugal and functional way to clean the air in your home. You just need three things: a box fan, a MERV 13 filter and some bungee cords to build your own portable air cleaner. Put the filter on the back of the fan, use the bungee cord to secure it and plug it in. The DIY cleaner has approval from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for reducing wildfire smoke particles indoors. For more information on how to make one, click here. Another tip involves switching the A/C on your thermostat from "Auto" to "Fan On" mode, so that your home is constantly circulating the air. "Which will definitely help because then we're taking that stale air and we're getting it past that filter," said Christopher. Keeping windows shut and limiting how often you open exterior doors can help reduce the amount of smoke entering your home.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Cincinnati Reds lose game, off day, bullpen rest to MLB Speedway Classic mess
BRISTOL, TN – Two hours before MLB's rain-suspended Speedway Classic resumed at Bristol Motor Speedway on Sunday, the main concession stand serving the infield grandstands around the temporary field had run out of burgers. About an hour later, the Fan Zone section for the event had been dismantled, including the merch and concession stands. And by the time the Cincinnati Reds got out of town, a day late and a game short in the win column, an off day was gone, and much of a bullpen was spent in a 4-2 loss that took two days to inflict. It made a long charter to Chicago seem just a little longer as they braced for a 50-game final stretch that opens with three against the division-rival Cubs. 'It's never good when you lose a day like that, and then you've got to use guys in the bullpen,' said second baseman Matt McLain, who missed a would-be tying home run in the ninth by about a foot. 'But we'll handle it and get through it.' Reds Speedway Classic Lyon Richardson Reds' Lyon Richardson rode to Bristol speedway on commissioner Rob Manfred's private plane Reds player move Will Benson Speedway Classic weather costs Cincinnati Reds OF Will Benson big-league roster spot For all of MLB's best-laid plans with this one-off, regular-season, first-MLB-game-in-Tennessee event, it amounted mostly to a very wet, very long-delayed, two-day ordeal for both teams — but an especially hard pill to swallow for a Reds team that just invested at the trade deadline for a playoff chase. Neither the outcome of the actual game nor the residual effects of the marketing-scheme sideshow did anything for the Reds but make the road to October look just a little more like those steep banks at the NASCAR track that hosted the Saturday-turned-Sunday event. Manager Terry Francona said the ordeal didn't make the loss sting any worse even if losing the off day for his bullpen was 'the big one' to deal with as he said before the game. 'You deal with what gets thrown at you,' he said, 'and hopefully when something does get thrown at you, you deal with it to the point where you can win a game. And we didn't. 'We were unfortunate, I admit that,' he added. 'But that doesn't mean you can't win the game.' The Reds led 1-0 with runners at first and second and one out when the game was suspended. A quick double steal by Elly De La Cruz and Austin Hays upon the resumption of the game put the Reds in position to add on – until Miguel Andujar's ensuing grounder to third turned into an out at the plate. 'That's a tough game we felt we should have won,' said Brent Suter, the losing pitcher after taking over when the game resumed. He downplayed adversity of the contrived event. 'A lot of bullpen use today,' he added. 'But we got through it. Lyon (Richardson) did a great job, so we got through it with not using too many arms multiple innings. That was a positive. 'But that one hurts.' Richardson was an emergency callup for the bullpen Sunday. Suter got eight outs in relief of Reds rookie Chase Burns, who pitched a powerful 1-2-3 first inning before the game was suspended. Braves right fielder Eli White hit his fifth and sixth home runs of the season for all of the Braves scoring, including a two-out, three-run shot off Suter in the second. The Reds lost for the fourth time in six games. 'Tito and I both understood the situation,' Braves manager Brian Snitker said. 'We both wanted to put that game to bed (Saturday) night and wake up (with) us in Atlanta and them in Chicago, with a day off today. Didn't happen.' It seemed especially tough on a Reds team chasing the playoffs on the heels of acquiring three players at the deadline compared to a Braves team that's still 16 games under .500 with its entire opening rotation on the injured list. 'We're not eliminated yet. We're still in the hunt as far as I'm concerned,' Snitker said when asked about the Reds getting hurt more by the circumstances than the Braves. 'It's tough navigating every major-league season,' added Snitker, whose Braves have been in the postseason the last seven years, including a World Series-title season in 2021. 'They all represent different obstacles. You can't bank on anything happening right. Because it just doesn't. And there's always hurdles to get through with injuries, scheduling, rainouts, all this kind of stuff. It's never easy. That's why the depth in your organization is huge, getting through 162 games in six months.' The Reds left the bases loaded in the eighth. And they put the first two men on base in the ninth – including McLain's near home run that White knocked down at the top of the wall in right field – for Elly De La Cruz, who struck out on some walk-off-minded swings against former Reds closer Raisel Iglesias. Two popups later and the game was over. The bus was running. And Francona was asked what he planned to tell his team. 'We got 52 minutes to get on the bus and get the hell out of here because we're playing Chicago tomorrow,' he said. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati Reds lose game, off day, bullpen rest to MLB's NASCAR mess
