Make your household a care package to have some necessities easily accessible to you! Here are some ideas to help you prepare:

1.     Flash light and batteries and or some candles and matches.

2.     Radio

3.     Blankets and pocket hand-warmers

4.     Canned food and dried foods (A manual can opener for cans if not pop top lids)

5.     Bottled water

PECO offers Mobile reporting of power outages. If you should find your residence in a power outage and would like to check the status of a power outage click here for more information.

More tips from PECO:

·      What should be done if someone in the household relies on electric equipment for a medical condition?

o   In an emergency situation, please call 911.  Also notify PECO at 1-800-841-4141.  Always have a back-up plan and relocate if necessary.

·      What is the best way to protect food and medicine?

o   Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible and resist the urge to frequently check on foods. Move meats, cheese, milk etc. into the freezer compartment since it will stay colder longer.

o   If the freezer is partially full, it can often keep meat frozen for up to 24 hours and up to 48 hours when full. Fill the freezer and refrigerator with water bottles to occupy more space. You also can wrap the refrigerator/freezer in a blanket to keep it insulated and preserve foods longer.

·      What are some tips or information on portable generators?

o   Don’t directly connect to home wiring.

o   Never use a generator indoors or in an attached garage. Make sure exhaust fumes can’t directly enter your home. Generator should be in a dry area protected from rain and snow, such as in an open garage, carport or under a canopy.

o   Don’t overload the generator and utilize property power cords.

o   Check the owners manual for property usage of the generator.

·      What should I do during heavy snowstorms?

o   For PECO’s natural gas customers, you should be aware that snow or ice accumulation on a gas meter can cause the regulator to become blocked and shut down, causing a loss of gas service. After heavy snowstorms, especially with wind drifts, brush by hand the snow off your outdoor gas meter. Do not use a shovel or anything that could damage the meter.  If you have lost gas service, it may be due to snow covering the gas meter regulator.  Brush the snow away and your service can be restored.