In today’s high-tech world, power outages can be more than just an inconvenience. Hawaiian Electric works hard to “keep the lights on,” but outages do happen.

“Natural disasters, like hurricanes and earthquakes, are a part of life,” says Peter Rosegg, of Hawaiian Electric Company. “Such incidents—as well as traffic accidents and tree limbs touching lines—can cause power disruptions.”

With proper planning, you and your family will be ready to protect loved ones and property in any emergency. For quick tips, consult these Dos and Don’ts. Then, log on to heco.com to read or download Hawaiian Electric’s Handbook for Emergency Preparedness. 

In an outage: 

Do: Turn off most wall switches and unplug appliances, especially sensitive equipment, like computers or big-screen TVs, to avoid damage from a surge. Turn off the stove and remove items from burners. Leave a light or two switched on so you will know when power returns.

Don’t: Depend solely on surge protectors to protect your valuable equipment. Over time, surge protectors lose their effectiveness, and not all multiple-outlet extension cords are surge protectors.

Do: Buy one or more crank- or battery-powered radios to stay informed. Buy enough flashlights and battery lanterns for everyone in your home. And, of course, make sure you have extra batteries on hand.

Don’t: Depend on candles. They’re a fire hazard, especially when breezes are blowing through open windows.

Do: Keep cell phones charged in case of emergency. An old-fashioned analog phone will usually work during an outage, but phones with answering machines or wireless extensions that depend on electricity will not.

Don’t: Make unnecessary calls. Leave communication channels open to the authorities and anyone with an emergency issue.

Do: Follow safety precautions if you use a portable generator. Plug a few appliances, such as the fridge and a few lights, into your generator, without exceeding the generator’s capacity. Operate your generator in a well-ventilated space, outside if possible. Store fuel in a safe, sealed container, away from flames.

Don’t: Plug the whole house circuit into a generator. That can be dangerous to you and can back-feed into neighborhood circuits.

Do: Have enough nonperishable food that does not need cooking and bottled water to last for at least a few days.

Don’t: Open the fridge unless absolutely necessary during an outage. Keep as much cold air as possible trapped inside to avoid food spoilage. If food in the freezer defrosts or food in the fridge gets warm, the best rule is  “When in doubt, throw it out.*”   

*The Hawaii Department of Health says, “In newer refrigerators that were not opened during the outage, foods should still be safe to use after four hours. In older refrigerators, or ones that were opened during the outage, it is difficult to make an assessment of how long foods will stay safe…If you have an accurate food thermometer, food that is 45°F or colder is in the safe zone. Once food approaches 70°F it is considered to be at room temperature, and should be discarded.”