The movement of Tropical Depression Daniel into Hawaiian waters serves as a reminder for members of the public to review their preparations for emergencies.
The movement of Tropical Depression Daniel into Hawaiian waters serves as a reminder for members of the public to review their preparations for emergencies.
The best time to prepare for an emergency is before one occurs.
Hawaii Electric Light Co.’s website, helcohi.com, offers a consumer guide to emergency preparedness that includes key numbers to have on hand, checklists for emergency supplies such as a home survival and first aid kit, electrical safety information, power outage preparedness and recovery, household and food safety tips, and references and links to related resources such as the American Red Cross, Federal Emergency Management Agency and area civil defense agencies. For those without Internet access, HELCO also has available a free “Information Handbook for Emergency Preparedness” that can be picked up at the company’s customer service locations in Waimea and Kona or by calling 969-0127.
If the power should go out, HELCO reminds customers to:
Use flashlights instead of candles because open flames may create a fire hazard. Keep refrigerators closed and avoid peeking inside, allowing cold air to escape.
Turn off as many lights or appliances as possible — leaving one light switched “on” so you know when power is restored — and unplug computers, televisions and other high-tech equipment to avoid surge damage when power is restored.
If you’re preparing to leave your home, unplug or turn off appliances.
If a member of your household is on life-sustaining electrical equipment, you should have an emergency plan for an outage. If you need emergency transportation to a hospital or other facilities with emergency generators, call 911.
When moving around outside, stay away from downed power lines. Assume they are energized and dangerous. If you see someone injured after touching a downed power line, call 911 for help; don’t try to rescue them since you could become a victim yourself. Report downed power lines by calling HELCO at 969-6666.
During and after a storm, stay tuned to local media reports on HELCO’s progress in assessing and repairing major damage. Call only if you don’t hear a status report for outage in your area or if you need to report an emergency. —WHT