Shrewsbury – Shrewsbury Electric & Cable Operations (SELCO) is preparing for Hurricane Irene and is encouraging Shrewsbury residents to do the same. Residents should assemble the following supplies to keep on-hand: flashlight, batteries, portable radio, at least one gallon of water, and a small supply of food. Due to the extreme risk of fire, do not use candles during a power outage.
Other tips to ensure safety during a power outage include never touching or moving downed power lines (report downed wires immediately), only using a flashlight for emergency lighting (never use candles), turning off electrical equipment you were using when the power went out, leaving one light turned on so you’ll know when your power returns, and avoiding opening the refrigerator and freezer – if you must eat food that was refrigerated or frozen, check it carefully for signs of spoilage. Also, 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. Never connect a generator to a home's electrical system
To keep informed of the situation, listen to local radio and television for updated information. Do not call 9-1-1 for information – you should only call 9-1-1 to report a life-threatening emergency.
Eliminate unnecessary travel, especially by car. Traffic signals will stop working during an outage, creating traffic congestion. Remember that equipment such as automated teller machines (ATMs) and elevators may not work during a power outage.
Call 1-508-841-8500 to report power outages or downed power lines. Outage updates can be found online at www.twitter.com/selconews or residents can receive outage updates via text messaging by texting “follow SELCOnews” to 40404. Town of Shrewsbury storm notices will be posted to the Town of Shrewsbury website (www.shrewsburyma.gov) and to channel 26.
