Have an Emergency Plan
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The best way to weather a storm is to have a safety plan in place ahead of time. Emergency safety kit |
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Keep an emergency kit handy and make sure everyone in the family knows where it's located. At a minimum, keep these items in your kit at all times:
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If you have kids, save a stash of “rainy-day” books and games to keep them occupied while the lights are out. TelephonesIf you use a cordless phone, remember that the system needs electricity to operate and will be useless during an outage. Always keep a cellular or corded phone in your home. Be sure to print, fill out and post a list of emergency numbers - including Alliant Energy's automated outage reporting hotlines. Garage doorsRemember that power garage door openers won't work in a storm. Review the steps to open your door manually so your car doesn't get stuck inside the garage. If you use your garage door opener as a “key” to get into your home, be sure to also carry the key to another door into your home. Electrical medical equipmentIf anyone in your family depends on electrical medical equipment, please call our 24-hour Customer Service Center at 1-800-ALLIANT (255-4268) or email us - we'll note it on your account. Food and water suppliesBe sure to always have plenty of medications, baby supplies and non-perishable food on hand in case of a storm. Be sure the food doesn't need refrigeration or cooking (granola bars or crackers and peanut butter for example). Remember the drinking water; the American Red Cross suggests reserving about three gallons of drinking water per person.
Brochures and fact sheets: PowerHouse: Storm & Outage Safety [PDF] Red Cross: Family Disaster Planning [PDF] Red Cross: Food Safety [PDF] Red Cross: Winter Storm Safety [PDF] FEMA: A Citizen's Guide to Preparedness [PDF]
More online resources:
American Red Cross
Federal Emergency Management Agency
National Weather Service
National Safety Council: Emergency Plan Checklist
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