Nailing It Down
By Dave Murnen and Pat Beaty
Happy New Year! It looks like 2019 is coming in with an attitude — and that means we need to be prepared.
Officially winter has barely begun, with the winter solstice on Dec. 21. That was the shortest day and therefore the longest night of the year. So far, what we’ve lacked in snowfall, we’ve gained in wind — in spades!
Power outages are often the result of stormy weather. With more than two and a half months of winter ahead of us, we thought it would be a good time to review how to prepare for a power outage.
During the summer, when a car crash or aged equipment causes a power outage, it simply doesn’t have the impact an outage has during the cold, wet and windy, short days of winter. Plus, because of weather and icy roads, there typically are just more outages during the fall and winter months in Western Washington.
PROTECT KEY EQUIPMENT
One thing you can do now — especially if you received a new computer or big-screen TV at Christmas — is to purchase quality surge protector devices. And frankly if you want to protect a high-end TV, make sure you buy a high-end surge protector. They are not all created equal.
If your appliance or electronic device is ruined when the power goes out, it’s up to your homeowner’s or renter’s insurance to cover it (after you’ve paid the deductible). As a public entity, the PUD cannot use ratepayers’ money to pay out for damages when it is not at fault.
POWER IS OUT. SHOULD I CALL?
The PUD has an Outage Hotline you can call to let them know of a power outage. The number is 360-537-3721 or toll free 888-541-5923. We keep these numbers handy in our cellphone and had to use them in the last big blast due to outage. We suggest you don’t assume the PUD knows you are without power — call!
Those numbers are only to be used to report or learn about an outage; they are not for customer service questions. For general PUD business, contact customer service at 360-532-4220.
The PUD may already be aware that your power is out, but know this: They will be working as quickly and safely as possible to restore it.
A few years back, the PUD added more phone lines and greater staffing to handle power outage questions, as well as several other ways to get the information you may be looking for.
Grays Harbor PUD has an active Facebook page — Grays Harbor Public Utility District — that you can check for outage updates (and other news).
In addition, you can receive tweets about outages @GHPUD on Twitter. If you don’t already have a Twitter account, you need to sign up for one. (There’s no charge.) You can set up your account to receive GHPUD tweets on your cellphone or computer. (If you do choose to have the tweets received on your phone, text charges will apply.)
Another way to learn about outage information is to go to the PUD website (www.ghpud.org) and sign up to receive outage alerts directly from the PUD. On the website, you need to click “receive outage alerts.”
Once again, you will have a choice whether to receive those alerts via text or email. The Grays Harbor PUD’s website explains these options more fully.
Also, nowadays, many people have dropped their land lines. For those folks, or the people who just always have their cellphones at the ready, it may be worth a call to customer service at 360-532-4220 ahead of time to make sure your PUD account is linked to the phone number that you want it to be. This option is relatively new and, for many, will be a great help.
LIVE WIRES, GENERATORS
We have more to say about staying safe in a power outage, but most will have to wait until next week’s column. Until then, we leave you with four safety reminders:
1. Always stay away from any downed power lines and assume they are live and dangerous.
2. If you use a generator, always follow the manufacturer’s directions. Pay close attention to having it placed so the exhaust cannot enter your home.
3. Smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors save lives. Make sure yours are working properly.
4. Do not refuel the generator while it is running.
Dave Murnen and Pat Beaty are construction specialists at NeighborWorks of Grays Harbor County, where Murnen is executive director. This is a nonprofit organization committed to creating safe and affordable housing for all residents of Grays Harbor County. For questions about home repair, renting, remodeling or buying, call 360-533-7828 or visit 710 E. Market St. in Aberdeen. Our office is fully ADA-compliant.
