Here’s what you should do if you lose power during the California heat wave

California’s unrelenting heat wave is broiling the region and straining the power grid, with rolling blackouts possible Tuesday.

The California Independent System Operator, a nonprofit that oversees most of the state’s power grid, issued an emergency energy alert Tuesday, from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. The alert urges residents to use less electricity to prevent rotating power outages. The Sacramento Municipal Utility District also sent out the same notification to customers Tuesday.

If you find yourself in a blackout at home, here’s what you can do:

Don’t use appliances

Disconnect or turn off any appliances or electronics during a power outage.

According to ready.gov, a national emergency preparedness service, power can return momentarily in spikes or surges and cause damage to appliances. If you need to use a generator, camp stove or charcoal grill, use them outdoors and at least 20 feet away from windows.

In the case that there is a blackout during colder weather, do not use a stove or oven to heat your home.

Go to a center if the weather is too hot or cold

If the energy grid is strained due to extreme weather, find a community center to brace the heat or cold.

Keep your fridge and freezer closed

Avoid opening your fridge or freezer during an outage.

The national service stated that a refrigerator will keep food cold for about four hours and a freezer will maintain cool temperatures for about 48 hours.

Check your perishable items with a thermometer and toss away any food if the temperature is 40 degrees or higher.

Stay updated with alerts

The Red Cross recommends checking weather or updates from your energy provider to stay updated with local alerts and warning systems.

Before a power outage

If you know there’s possible outages in your area, you can prepare by:

• Talking to your doctor and preparing any medications or medical devices that need to use electricity or have to be refrigerated.
• Stocking your home with non-perishable food and water, the Red Cross advised. You may also want to plan to use a cooler and ice to keep perishable food cold.
• Installing smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.

After a power outage

Once the power is back on, you should:

• Throw out any food that’s been exposed to more than 40 degree temperatures for more than two hours, or if it has any unusual smells, texture or color.
• Talk to your doctor if you need to discard any medicine.
• Plug in your devices one by one when power is restored, the state’s public utilities commission recommended.

This story was originally published September 6, 2022 at 12:12 PM with the headline "Here’s what you should do if you lose power during the California heat wave."