What to do in a Power Outage- do you call 911?
This topic is heavily debated and often leads to a lot of confusion. The answer here is both yes, and no. Let’s take a closer look at the factors. You’ve just had a traumatic experience with a large storm going through, or perhaps a lightning strike or something to that effect. Or you have encountered a down powerline on the road. Or maybe the wind was strong and toppled a tree on the line, or the power had simply gone out for an unknown reason. It’s also important to stay prepared, in the event of a power outage. If you are expecting a Hurricane, here are some additional steps that can be taken.
What is the right thing to do?
The ultimate party that needs to know is your local utility company. That said, if this line that is down, is posing a threat of danger to you, or the public, or there may be a fire hazard with the downed line.
It is acceptable to call emergency services to dispatch someone to block the road or take necessary precautions to eliminate more life-threatening risks from the power outage. Calling 911 works. Or sometimes the non-emergency numbers to notify parties such as the fire department or the police department. They will determine that when they are called and sent via dispatchers.
Let’s say for instance you have simply lost power at your home after a storm. Is it suggested to call 911? No, it is not. Now, let’s change the narrative a bit. If you have someone in the home who has a life-threatening condition. Let’s say they have a medical device that runs on electricity, to assist breathing or any other bodily functions. Then 911 may be needed to transport this person to safety so that they can have power restored for proper medical function.
Downed Trees?
If a tree has fallen on your house, the power is also out, and you are unsure if this tree has caused additional damage to the structure or if there is a fire risk to the home, 911 could also be called. You may not get treated with a priority response, depending on the nature of the emergency.
If a transformer has exploded- is it necessary to to call 911? That depends, did the transformer just blow out? Or is it actively on fire, and is it close to any trees or structures that may be at risk of a fire? This is a case-by-case situation that requires some logical thinking. In that case, it is best to use your best judgment in this scenario. If you didn’t see it, but heard it explode, and you are unsure, in this case, use your best judgment.
What are the Risks?
It’s important to not overwhelm emergency services with unnecessary calls, but it’s also important to give attention to emergencies as you see fit.
A simple power outage does not constitute an emergency. It’s always best to put it in the category of, Does this impact my life in an urgent/emergency type manner? Does it impact others in the same way? Will your life be threatened or will the lives of others be threatened if you do not report this to emergency services? Is there anyone in the home at risk of further harm if they do not have electricity for their medical needs?’
These are all of the questions that need to be asked in order to qualify the emergency. Also- naturally, a tense event has just happened, and adrenaline may be flowing. You don’t have time to assess all of these variables. It is best to simply put this in the category of, is anyone in any sort of immediate life-threatening danger from this situation?
Factors to Consider
In the middle of storm season, it’s important to take some of these factors into consideration. Unless there is a life-threatening situation, the power outage can be reported by calling your utility company. Or you can often report the outage on their website if they have that option.
It’s important to take this blog post into consideration but not 100% at face value. There are many different circumstances and it’s always important to use your best judgment. Is it up to you?
The ultimate goal is to get everyone back up and running and get everyone the help they need. If too many first responders are overwhelmed filtering through non-emergency calls, dispatch lines and response times for actual emergencies will be slower.
Stay safe!
-Meteorologist Bo Cole
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Thanks for checking in!
Meteorologist Bo Cole