PGE – 02/10/21 12:03 PM
Portland, Ore. (Feb. 10, 2021) — In anticipation of a potential winter storm in the coming days, Portland General Electric urges customers to take precautions to stay warm and safe. If the power goes out during cold weather, the temperature inside your home can drop rapidly.
Be prepared
- Prepare by having supplies handy that keep you warm:
- Extra blankets
- Winter clothes including hats, gloves or mittens
- Hand warmers
- Firewood (if you have a safe, working fireplace or wood stove)
- Have a backup plan. If your neighborhood experiences an extended outage, consider alternative locations where you can stay stafe and warm.
- Follow us on Twitter @PortlandGeneral and Facebook @PortlandGeneralElectric for outage updates and safety tips.
Save body heat
- Keep warm by wearing loose layers of clothing to trap body heat.
- Wear a hat, even while sleeping.
- Keep moving to generate body heat.
- Use plenty of blankets and a hot water bottle if you’re able to heat water.
Lock in home heat
- Pick one room on the south or west side of the house and close it off to keep the heat in.
- Use blankets to insulate windows and doors.
Be alert for signs of hypothermia
- Hypothermia occurs when there is a significant drop in core body temperature.
- Infants and the elderly are especially susceptible.
- If someone has a temperature below 95 degrees Fahrenheit, call for medical help.
- Check on elderly neighbors to make sure they have enough supplies to keep warm.
Be cautious with alternative light and heat sources
- PGE discourages using candles to light your home during a power outage. They can easily cause house fires. If you do use candles or a fireplace during an outage, be sure to have a fire extinguisher, salt, baking soda and heavy blankets should a fire break out.
- Never use kerosene heaters indoors without proper ventilation due to the harmful fumes.
- Also never use charcoal briquettes indoors. They produce deadly carbon monoxide.
For more information, visit PortlandGeneral.com/Safety.
About Portland General Electric Company
Portland General Electric (NYSE: POR) is a fully integrated energy company based in Portland, Oregon, with operations across the state. The company serves approximately 900,000 customers with a service area population of 2 million Oregonians in 51 cities. PGE owns 16 generation plants across Oregon and other Northwestern states and maintains and operates 14 public parks and recreation areas. For over 130 years, PGE has delivered safe, affordable and reliable energy to Oregonians. Together with its customers, PGE has the No. 1 voluntary renewable energy program in the U.S. PGE and its 3,000 employees are working with customers to build a clean energy future. In 2020, PGE, employees, retirees and the PGE Foundation donated $5.6 million and volunteered 18,200 hours with more than 400 nonprofits across Oregon. For more information visit www.PortlandGeneral.com/news.
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