Home Tip: Be Prepared for a Stormy Summer

Just over one year ago the derecho hit our neighborhood hard -- several weeks ago another one threatened, and we had substantial flooding in many areas only this week.  For those who remember suffering through 90 degree heat and humidity, losing all of the food in their freezers and refrigerators, and worrying about running out of batteries and candles before Dominion restored the power to your home, there are ways you can be prepared in the future.  

The first way to be prepared is to install a natural gas or propane generator that kicks in if the power is lost. This is an expensive solution, but more and more people are choosing this option in our area.  This will be the subject of another blog post. 

Assuming you do not have a generator and have lost power, how do you notify Dominion Power that you have no power when you can't turn the computer on or there is no internet connection? Below is an easy "cheat sheet" that you can print out and store in a safe place -- maybe with your flashlights, candles and batteries.  Or load these emergency numbers - at least the Dominion one - into your cellphone. You'll be glad to have it handy in case of emergency.

And remember one other tip from the power companies themselves.  Don't assume the power companies know that you've lost power.  One power company executive told WTOP that -- in the last neighborhood to get power back on -- after five long days -- not a single household had called to report the outage.  The bottom line?  The squeaky wheel gets the power back sooner. 

Dominion Virginia Power: 1-866-DOM-HELP (1-866-366-4357) This is the number you should store in your cell phone for power outages and downed lines. If the number you are calling from is the one that Dominion has on file for you, they will automatically recognize which address you are reporting as having no power. The automated system will identify your property and ask you to confirm that there is no power, and they will also ask you whether you would like to be notified when power has been restored. You should indicate that you would like them to notify you. This is where it gets tricky. If you have not been notified, you can assume that power has not been restored. But if your cell phone runs out of battery or you have a phone that is not working, they obviously cannot call you back to notify you. You might have to call back from another phone  -- only to discover that Dominion thinks power has been restored but you still have no power. 

Hazardous and fallen trees/branches

If I see a fallen tree, especially one that has knocked down power lines, I call the non-emergency police number, which is 703-838-4444 in Alexandria.  Whoever answers the phone can usually refer the emergency to the appropriate jurisdiction if it is not in Alexandria City. High voltage power lines that have come down and are still hot are very lethal. I had a friend in college who was working for the State cleaning up roads after storms and accidentally grabbed a hot wire hidden under some branches and was electrocuted. So please don't go around trying to clear these trees and branches yourself and don't allow your loved ones or pets around them either. 

For trees or branches that have fallen across roads, I also call 911. Let the police figure out who to call to get the road cleared.   If they have an emergency and can't get through because the road is blocked, they need to know. 



To Report Utility Outages 

Dominion Power - to report power outages only: 
1-866-DOM-4357 (HELP)

Washington Gas: 1-800-752-7520 or 703-750-1400, TTY 711
Comcast Outages: 703-841-7700
Verizon Phone/Fios Outages: 1-800.837.4966
Verizon Phone/TV Outages: 703.378.8422

Please email me at kay@kayblemker.com with your comments. Thanks!