Monday’s incident at Manitowoc Public Utilities is a stark reminder of always being prepared for a power outage.
Manitowoc County Emergency Services Director Travis Waack says they can happen “in a moment’s notice and without warning.”
He goes on to say, “They occur for a lot of different reasons. Sometimes it can take days or weeks to get the power back on depending on the situation.”
MPU’s power plant experienced an electrical disturbance at the Lakefront Substation at about 3:00 PM causing both operating boilers and turbines to be removed from service and approximately 4400 electric customers lost power for about three hours. Waack encourages making a checklist that includes stocking up on non-perishable foods and bottled water, cash, investing in a battery-operated radio, and filling your vehicle’s gas tank.
“Most if not all of our gas stations don’t have backup generators. A car can be a good resource for charging the phone and during the winter you can run the engine outside and warm up.”
Other tips include having a fully charged smartphone and keeping your refrigerator/freezer closed at all times to keep the cold air locked in. For more information, you can call 683-4207.
