This past weekend tons of homes and businesses in Sartell were without power for nearly 6 hours. Here's what you need to know when you're in a power outage!

You never know when there's going to be a power outage, and the things you take for granted are blaringly obvious when you don't have power. Many people don't realize what you should and shouldn't do when your home is without power for a period of time.

  1. Try not to open your refrigerator and freezer. They'll keep cool for a while when they're sealed shut. The moment you open them, most of the cool air escapes and they won't have any way of cooling down again - without power.
  2. If the outage is an extended period of time, cook perishable foods. This is to say if you don't have an electric stove/oven. it's better to consume the food than to let it go to waste.
  3. Have coolers on hand. Any food that is temperature sensitive can be kept cool in a cooler packed full of ice. You may need to drive to a store that has ice, but at least you'll be able to keep your perishables cold.
  4. Daytime power outages mean a 'get out of the house' day. Take the family to a movie, where it's comfortable, and you can wait for the power to come on again. If you have pets you might need to take them to a friend or family member's house that has power. If you have to do that, then maybe stay and enjoy time with them!
  5. Night time outages can be survived easier with flashlights. When the power is out overnight, it can be a little stressful. Keep a couple charged flashlights handy to see where you're going. If you're worried about getting to work, or the kids in school on time, make sure the alarm clocks have a backup battery working in them.

These days the power company do a pretty good job keeping you up to date with power outages and expected restore times. Having a smart phone with email and text alert options are helpful. Be sure and sign up for electronic alerts on your power company's website in case you're ever caught in a power outage.

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