Emergencies : Utilities

During a disaster there will often be disruptions in your utilities (electricity, water, gas). If your home is livable, contact your service provider and ask to get your utilities turned back on. Remember to unplug all of your utilities before power is restored to your home. If all of the appliances come on at one time, you might blow a circuit and cause a power outage in your home.

If utilities are down for everyone in your neighborhood, it might take awhile before power is restored. If it looks like it might be awhile before you get power back into you home:

• Remove the food from your refrigerator so it doesn’t spoil
• Unplug your appliances
• Use flashlights for light. Do not use candles or an open flame if your utilities are shut off. If there’s a gas leak, you could cause a fire.
• Find alternative shelter if it’s too cold to stay in your home or if you don’t have running water