Limit freezer and refrigerator door openings during power outages. A closed refrigerator will keep food chilled for 12 hours. For extra insulation, wrap freezer in blankets or secure dry ice so items will stay frozen longer during a spring or summer outage. Don’t cook inside with charcoal.

Keep door openings to a minimum. Cover drafty windows and doors with blankets. Dress in layers and wear a hat.

If you use a portable generator, isolate it from our lines. If you don’t have a double throw transfer switch installed, plug appliances directly into the generator using a properly sized extension cord.

Turn off large appliances that come on automatically. Make sure appliances you were using when the outage occured are turned off. Disconnect sensitive electronics to avoid damage from surges.

When the power comes back on, give the electric system a chance to stabilize by gradually using the appliances you turned off. Use only the most essential first and wait 10 to 15 minutes on the others, including water and space heating.

If you clear trees on your property, don’t remove those tangled in power lines. Stay away from any downed lines and notify us or call 911 immediately.

Watch out for us. Our employees frequently work along roadsides. Please remember to slow down and be aware of utility crews. Stay away from Coweta-Fayette EMC work areas. Besides being in a hazardous area, you’ll slow our crew’s progress.

Get a portable AM/FM radio with extra batteries for local information. Remember to keep your cell phones charged in case phone lines go out.

Have blankets, sleeping bags and extra clothes, including hats handy in case a power outage occurs during the winter. Be extremely careful when using alternate heating sources. Some are not approved for indoor use and could be a fire or carbon monoxide hazard.

Keep flashlights, battery-powered lanterns and extra batteries on hand. It’s best to avoid light sources that require flames.