What to do in a power outage
- Assess the extent of the outage in your area.
- During the day, report the outage to your Building Coordinator or Facility Services.
- In the evening, report the outage to University Police, 6-2281.
- Turn on battery-powered radios and listen to Emergency Alert Radio Stations (920 AM, 1400 AM, 98.1 FM) for further information if the outage is an area event.
- Use auxiliary light supplies (flashlights) conservatively.
- Unplug all electrical equipment not protected by surge protectors and turn off office light switches unless needed.
- If relocation is necessary, follow directions from authorized campus personnel.
- Help persons in darkened rooms move to safety.
- Keep refrigerators/freezers closed during outage.
- Open windows for additional light and ventilation.
- Laboratory personnel should secure experiments or activities which may be dangerous without power or when power is abruptly restored. When mechanical ventilation is interrupted, chemical vapors may reach hazardous concentrations.
- Open windows and doors. Clean up any spills, store chemicals and close containers.
- Remain at your work location and, if needed, work with your vice president's/executive director's office to relocate employees and classes to areas where there is natural light.
Campus response to a power outage will rely heavily on the situation. Daytime class dismissal will be at the discretion of the instructor. Check your email and phones for any PolyAlert communications.
