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Outage Readiness & Safety


Be Prepared

While we do our best to prevent them, power outages can happen. Make sure you’re prepared for severe weather and possible outages. Sign up for text, email or voice alerts from ComEd or download the mobile app on the App Store or Google Play.

 Be Prepared List

​Prepare for an Outage

​Listen to weather forecasts and plan ahead. If you lose power, use flashlights. Do not use candles or kerosene lamps; they can create a safety hazard. Develop a family emergency plan that includes alternative arrangements should you need to leave your home. Make provisions for family members with special needs such as the elderly, disabled, medically affected, or infants. If you are dependent on electric-powered medical equipment, seek alternate arrangements in the event of an outage. 

 

Have the following items ready: 

  • Flashlights, not candles 
  • Fresh batteries 
  • Battery-operated clock radio 
  • Fully charged cell phone and laptop/tablet 
  • Non-perishable foods and pet food  
  • Water: one gallon of bottled water per person, per day without electric service. If your home is served by well water, fill a bathtub with water for sanitation purposes and to manually flush toilets. 
  • Blankets 
  • Refills of important prescriptions  
  • Cash, in case ATMs aren’t working 
  • A full tank of gas or fully charged electric vehicle 
  • A first-aid kit in your home and in your car  
  • A list of emergency phone numbers, including 1-800-EDISON-1 (1-800-334-7661) to report outages. 

Visit the FEMA Emergency Preparedness checklist for additional recommended items. 




​​Customers with Special Needs

​​​Customers with special needs, such as those who may be elderly, disabled or dependent on electricity for medical equipment, should have alternate arrangements in place should they experience an extended power outage. Learn more about our restoration process. 

​Protect Your Food

​​​To protect your food, keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible. Food can stay frozen for 36 hours or more in a freezer if you keep the door closed. Consider freezing containers of water ahead of time and keeping them in the freezer to help your food stay frozen longer.  
 
For more information on keeping food safe during a power outage, check out USDA Food Safety: Keeping Food Safe in an Emergency. 

​Protect Appliances and Electronic Equipment

Many home electronics can be damaged during a power outage. Here are some ways to protect sensitive equipment: 

  • Plug electronic equipment into electrical surge suppressors 
  • Turn off and unplug sensitive electronics such as computers, modems, and routers to protect them from power surges 
  • Turn off all appliances, including your furnace, air conditioner, water heater, and washers to avoid overloading circuits when service is restored. Leave a light on so you will know when your power is back on.  
  • Ensure you can manually operate your garage doors or security gates. 

Other Considerations for Homeowners 

  • Purchase equipment with built-in surge protection or a battery-powered back-up system. 
  • If you own a business or have a home office, consider installing an uninterruptible power supply for temporary backup power for your electronic equipment. 
  • Consider having a lightning arrester installed at your main circuit panel. 
  • Consider purchasing a generator to power your home in case of outages. See below for tips on safely using a generator.


 During Outages

During Outages

 During Outage List

​During Outages

  • Don't light candles; they could start a fire. 
  • Don't use a gas cooking range for emergency heating; it could build up deadly carbon monoxide fumes. 
  • Turn off or unplug electronic equipment and appliances. 
  • Always use a metal screen over fireplace openings and clear the hearth of any materials to catch flying sparks.
  • Generators should only be used outside in well-ventilated, dry areas, away from air intake into the home. Never use a generator inside your home or in an attached garage. See "Use Generators Properly" for more information.  
  • Stay away from fallen or low-hanging wires or anything they touch. Call ComEd at 1-800-EDISON-1 (1-800-334-7661) to report wire emergencies.  If wires fall on your vehicle, do not touch the wires or the vehicle.

​Use Generators Properly

  • ​​Carefully follow the manufacturer's instructions when using your generator. 
  • To avoid carbon monoxide poisoning, never use a generator inside your home or in an attached garage. Generators should only be used outside in well-ventilated, dry areas, away from air intake into the home. 
  • If your generator needs to be wired directly into your home's electrical system, use a licensed electrician for the work. 
  • If your generator is connected directly to your home's electrical system, please turn off the main circuit breaker to avoid potential injury to crews working to restore power. 

​Keep Snow and Ice Clear

​During a storm, keep key equipment clear of ice and snow using a broom or brush. This includes:  

  • Ventilation pipes for direct-vent furnaces and water heaters 
  • Electric heat pump units 
  • Dryer vents 
  • Outdoor meters and attached equipment 


 After Storms

​After Storms

 After Storm List

​​​Repairs May Still Be In-Progress

  • ​Stay away from fallen or low-hanging wires or anything they touch. Be especially cautious near metal fences. 
  • Tune into local radio stations for safety and status reports. 
  • When cleaning up after severe weather, before digging always call 811 if you are inside the city of Chicago or 1-312-744-7000 if you are outside the city. For more information visit Call Before You Dig. 
  • Follow updated information about ComEd's restoration efforts on Twitter or Facebook. 

​​​Roads and Services May Be Impacted

  • Public transportation may not be operating, including public and private wheelchair transport services or para-transits. Routes and schedules may be changed. 
  • Roads may be damaged or blocked. Road signs may be down. 
  • Traffic lights and walking signals used to cross the street may not be working properly, or at all. This can disrupt cues used to cross the street. 
  • Travel time may be longer because of detours and added traffic. 

​Stay Safe after Flooding

  • ​​Make sure that the electrical system is shut off before entering a flooded room. Don't shut off the system if you must stand in water or on a wet floor to do so. 
  • Don't enter a room with standing water if your electrical system is not shut off. This is particularly important if water covers outlets, or cords or appliances that are plugged into outlets. 
  • Have a licensed electrician do a full inspection before turning on lights or appliances affected by a flood. 

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