Are You Prepared for Power Outages?

Phones 

  • Keep your contacts up to date on your phone;
  • Ensure all cell phones are charged especially if extreme weather is forecast;
  • Ensure portable batteries and booster packs are available;
    • Conserve your cell phone’s battery by reducing the screen’s brightness, placing it in airplane mode, and closing apps you are not using; and
    • Invest in a vehicle charger for your phone.

If you have a land line, keep an older style corded telephone on hand as it will likely work during a power failure. The connection is direct to the telephone company, which has extensive back-up power, while cordless phones rely on electricity on site. Mobile phones may work if cell towers are still functional, but often system overload causes lost connections.

Also Consider

  • Keep flashlights charged or have spare batteries on hand;
  • Install surge protector power bars for sensitive appliances and equipment. This is essential for your computers;
  • Ensure wired-in smoke and carbon monoxide detectors have a battery back-up;
  • Consider installing an alarm to notify you of a power outage when you are away from the barn (can notify you via your cell phone);
  • Turn off all tools, appliances and electronic equipment that are not essential. Power can be more easily restored when there is not a heavy load on the electrical system;
  • Do not close buildings tight to conserve heat as animals could suffocate from lack of oxygen;
  • Open vents to facilitate natural air flow. Clear any debris from all vents; and
  • When power is restored, switch on the main electrical panel. After 10 to 15 minutes, reconnect other electrical equipment and appliances.


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Send text messages or emails as they use less bandwidth than a voice call. As well, once a message is sent, even if thereis no bandwidth available at the time you hit “send”, the message will go through as soon as itcan.

Man Made and Natural Disasters