Northeast Power Outage Raises Importance of Preparedness

American Red Cross
Thursday, 14 August 2003

Communities stretching from Detroit to New York were thrown into darkness Thursday afternoon as an east coast power outage halted power throughout six U.S. states and Canada, prompting the American Red Cross into action.

With subways shut down, traffic lights out, and cars and buses at a standstill in Manhattan, thousands of people took to the streets. Gov. George Pataki declared a state of emergency for the state and deployed additional state police.

As thousands of people pour out of buildings and subway stations and across bridges as they try to make their way home in the sweltering August heat, the American Red Cross is handing out bottled water and flyers on heat exhaustion. Red Cross workers have been deployed to Penn Station, Grand Central Station, Port Authority, the George Washington Bridge Bus Terminal, the Brooklyn Bridge, the Flatbush and Jamaica subway stations in Brooklyn, and LaGuardia and JFK airports.

With the massive blackout serving as an immediate reminder, the Red Cross is urging communities to take steps now to prepare for power outages that could affect their areas in the future.

Make a plan - The Red Cross challenges every individual, family member, business or school to know what to do and where to go in the event of any type of disaster. We recommend that individuals identify potential disaster scenarios and practice what to do if evacuation is needed. It is also important to identify an out-of-town person that each family member will contact in case of emergency.

Build a kit - Whether evacuating or sheltering in place, a disaster supplies kit can save lives. The contents should be placed in an easy-to-carry container such as a large backpack, duffle bag or plastic bin. Assemble essential supplies, including:

• Flashlight


• Batteries


• Portable radio


• at least one gallon of water


• a small supply of food.


• Due to the extreme risk of fire, do not use candles during a power outage.

It is important to pack enough water (one gallon per person per day), non-perishable food items, flashlight, radio, extra batteries, special items such as medications, diapers, infant formula, etc.

When a blackout does occur, there are more steps families can take.

• Only use a flashlight for emergency lighting. Never use candles!


• Turn off electrical equipment you were using when the power went out.


• Avoid opening the refrigerator and freezer.


• Do not run a generator inside a home or garage.


• If you use a generator, connect the equipment you want to power directly to the outlets on the generator. Do not connect a generator to a home's electrical system.


• Listen to local radio and television for updated information.

All Red Cross disaster assistance is free, made possible by voluntary donations of time and money from the American people. You can help the victims of thousands of disasters across the country each year by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, which enables the Red Cross to provide shelter, food, counseling and other assistance to those in need. Donations are being collected at Coinstar machines at local grocery stores across America. To find the nearest Coinstar machine, visit www.findcoinstar.com. Call 1-800-HELP NOW or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish). Also, contributions to the Disaster Relief Fund may be sent to your local American Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013. Internet users can make secure online credit card donations by visiting their website.

For more information, or to contact American Red Cross, see their website at: www.redcross.org