Outage Tips | Safety Tips | Energy Tips Few things are more inconvenient than a power outage. You can rest assured that our professional staff at CAREA do their utmost to protect the reliability of your electric supply. However, there are some things that we are not able to control - severe weather, accidents and other unpredictable situations.

Pre-planned Power Outages (PPO's)

In order for us to maintain a high level of power availability we will pre-plan power outages to perform preventative maintenance on power poles, lines and other system equipment.  This maintenance helps ensure that our electrical system stays problem free and provides our members with reliable power.  This maintenance will require that the power to certain customers in certain areas be shut off for limited periods of time while our experienced staff performs their duties.  For those members that will be affected by the outage we make every effort to contact them 48 hours prior to the power outage through the use of an automated voice message system.  This system allows us to contact all the customers that will be affected by an outage and provide them with a message informing them about the outage.

What to do when an outage occurs

To better prepare you and your family in the case of a power outage or emergency, below are some tips on what to do during an outage, how we work to restore your power and the primary causes of power outages.

• Before calling CAREA, check your breakers or fuse box to determine if the cause of the outage is a blown fuse or tripped breaker.  Look for lights at your neighbors' homes to see if they are affected.
• If it's not a breaker or fuse box, call to report the outage at 1-888-211-4011. To help process your information more quickly, have your account number handy. CAREA works hard to keep outage information current, so a recorded message may inform you that your outage was already reported. Please call only once to report your outage. The company may request you call again later for outage updates.
• Turn off all electrical equipment to prevent overloading the circuits in your home - and the company's electrical system - when power is restored. Most major appliances can be turned off at your breaker box.
• If your lights are very dim or are unusually bright when the power returns, turn off the power at the breaker or fuse box and call again.   There may still be a problem.
• Prepare for outages ahead of time. Keep an emergency kit handy including the following:
• Flashlight
• Battery-operated radio
• Battery-operated clock
• Extra batteries
• Bottles of water
• Blanket
• Be sure and check in on any friends and neighbors who may need extra help.

Things to keep in mind for REA Members

1. Communication: Communication is essential during power outages.  Cordless or extension phones that require electricity won't work during an outage so be sure to have a phone that works during an outage handy.  Keep your veterinarian's phone number handy for any problems with your livestock.  Keep your electrician's phone number handy for any problems with your emergency and standby units.
2. Lighting: This may seem too obvious to bother with but do you have a flashlight?  Do you know where it is?  Could you find it in the dark?  Do you have spare batteries for it or if it is a rechargeable one, is it charged?
3. Review your operation: Identify any must-run equipment and any non-essential load that can be reduced.  Please wait for 10 to 15 minutes after the power has been restored to turn everything back on.   This gives the electrical system time to stabilize.  This is particularly critical in the winter.  For information on stand-by generators, please call our office.
4. During the outage: During any outage, turn off any lights, all major appliances and if you have electric heat, lower the setting.  By reducing the amount of power we have to restore you are helping to avoid an overload outage caused by the initial burst of power required to restore service, particularly if the outage is extensive.  Leave one light on so you will know when the power has been restored.
5. Livestock protection during cold weather outages: Ventilation and heat retention are essential to protecting your livestock.  For operations with small numbers of livestock:
   • Keep barn doors closed to retain the heat
   • Open windows and doors slightly to allow for ventilation
   • A warming area can be made with straw bales and a plastic tarp to keep out drafts for younger livestock
6. Minimize stress on your livestock: Ensure extra feed and water is available.  Remember that you cannot grind or mix feed or pump water when there is no power.  Each type of farm animal (eg. cow, sheep, chicken, etc.) has unique needs during a power outage.  Be prepared to minimize the stress on your animals.  Make sure your standby generator has adequate capacity to run your essential equipment.
7. Farm computers: Backup your computer files frequently.  Consider buying an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) for critical computers and other equipment.  This provides temporary battery backup to allow you to save data and safely turn off the computer without losing any valuable data.
8. Moving equipment around power lines: No one shall construct, place buildings or other objects within the minimum clearances of overhead equipment or lines.
9. Property Access: The REA will require access to your property for emergency service work and meter reading.  If you plan to have access to your property restricted by a locked gate, we will need to put our lock on your chain as well.

What CAREA does during an outage

We realize power outages can be inconvenient, even downright uncomfortable.  The following will help you understand our power restoration process:

• Safety is our #1 priority. Crews first work to clear downed power lines and ensure that essential public services have power in case of other emergencies.
• Once the problem has been identified and any downed power lines are cleared, our crews work to restore power to the greatest number of members as quickly as possible.
• Power is then restored to any other individual members that may still be experiencing an outage.

Please note that if any storm damage occurs at the electric meter base or to conduit - or to circuits inside your home - you need to have an electrician fix the problem before company crews can restore power to your home.

Key causes of power outages

• Trees, limbs or branches knocked down by wind, snow or ice into power lines.
• Lightning striking a transformer or other electrical facilities.
• Car accidents where utility poles are knocked over or sway enough to knock the lines together and trip off the circuit.
• Equipment overload, especially on hot days when air conditioning usage is high, or during extremely cold weather when electric heaters are turned up throughout the electrical system.
• Digging too close to lines or cutting a line.
• Animals that contact the lines.
• Circuit overloads within your own home. Check your fuses and breakers first. If they continue to trip off, call a local electrician to handle the problem.

Maintaining safety standards helps ensure a safe and reliable distribution system.  Using proper safety procedures near power lines is absolutely necessary.  Electricity can be extremely dangerous.  Injuries and death near power lines are all too common and unnecessary when common sense is used.  Anytime you are working around power lines and/or poles please be aware of the safety factors, possible hazards and use good decision making skills. 

Here are a few key points to take into consideration.

• When moving any long metal objects, please keep in mind where the power lines are.  One wrong move and you could be electrocuted.
• Stay clear on any downed power lines!  It is not possible to tell if a line is "live" simply by looking at it.  If you see a downed power line on your, or even someone else's, property, do not touch anything and call our office immediately at 1-888-211-4011.

When moving equipment, loads, or working on buildings keep these safety tips in mind.

• Keep a safe working distance between your equipment and power lines. For example, keep your auger in the down position.
• Follow the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations.
• Before operating equipment, make a safety plan that prevents contact with the line.
• Take extra care and precaution even if it takes more time.  Your life is far more valuable than an few extra minutes or even hours.

If you are ever unsure of anything, please call our office at 1-888-211-4011 and we will be more than happy to assist you in any way possible.

IT'S ALWAYS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY.
Generator Safety

• One idea to help prepare you for a power outage is to purchase a portable electric generator.  If you use one, please do so with caution since generators can pose serious safety hazards when improperly used or installed.  Remember to always follow the manufacturer's instructions.
• Never plug your generator into an outlet, and don't connect a generator directly to your home's main fuse box or circuit panel.
• If you must provide temporary power to your home's wiring system, the generator must be connected through an approved transfer switch that will isolate your house from our system.  The switch must comply with the National Electric Code and local building codes.  These include permits, inspection and installation by a licensed electrician.
• To temporarily power an appliance, plug it directly into the generator.
• Use properly sized and grounded extension cords and keep cords hidden so they don't present a tripping hazard.
• Always properly ventilate a portable generator.  Gasoline-powered generators produce carbon monoxide and the fumes can be deadly.
• Make sure that the total electric load on your generator won't exceed the generator's rating.

Electrical Emergencies!

Electricity always tries to get to the ground.  If you get in the way, electricity could go through you to get there!  Contact with electricity can cause:

• Electrical Shock - This is when electrical current passes through the body. Even a small shock can be frightening and painful.
• Burns - Electric current can burn the skin, nerves, muscles, and tissues in the body.
• Death - A severe electrical shock can cause problems with a persons breathing and heartbeat, possibly leading to death.

What to do in an Electrical Emergency

If you find yourself in or witnessing an electrical emergency, here is a list of some things to keep in mind.

• Downed Wire - Stay away from all downed wires, even if there are no sparks.  Do not touch anything or anyone that is touching one.  Get help right away!
• Downed Wire Touching a Vehicle - If you are inside the vehicle, wait inside until help arrives.  If you must get out, in the instance of the car being on fire, jump clear of the vehicle without touching the ground and the vehicle at the same time.  Shuffle, do not run away.  If you are a witness, stay clear and call for help.
• Electrical Fire - Get help right away.  Unplug the faulty appliance or turn off the power if possible.  Never throw water on an electrical fire!!
• Electrical Shock - Never touch a person who is being shocked.  Call for help immediately.

Electricity bills getting out of control?  Want a way to keep your expenses under control?  Well then take a look at our great energy savings tips listed below.  Following these tips will help reduce the amount of electricity that you consume which will greatly reduce how much you pay!

• During the daytime, keeping your blinds or curtains open allows natural light to enter, reducing the need for having lights turned on.
• Only run your dishwasher when it is full.
• When doing laundry, try not to over wash the clothes and rinse them in cold water.
• Turn off any lights that you do not need on.
• Turn off any electronic equipment, such as your computer, when you are not using it.
• During our cold winters, have your block heater plugged into a timer.
• Try using compact fluorescent lighting where ever possible.  Compact fluorescent bulbs use about 75 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs.  While they may cost 20 times as much to purchase, they last 10 times as long and more than pay for themselves in energy savings.
• Consider replacing older appliances with newer, more efficient ones.

Here are some specific tips during the summer months.

• Give your dryer a break and try hanging your clothes to dry.
• When it is cooler in the mornings or evenings try opening up windows to cool your home down instead of turning on an air conditioner.
• Consider shutting off some appliances when you are on holidays.
• Ceilings fans are a great investment. They circulate the air to cool the room and cost pennies per hour to operate.
• Why heat up your home by using the stove - go outside and use your barbeque or fire pit!

Here are some specific tips during the winter months courtesy of Alberta Environment.

• Make sure walls, attics and floors are filled with adequate insulation.
• Install a setback thermostat that controls heating costs by automatically lowering the heat when no one's home.  For every degree you lower your thermostat, you save three percent on your bill.
• Close off heat and doors to unused rooms.  Keep closet doors closed - you don't need to heat them.
• Caulk, weather-strip and use foam to seal air leaks.  Pay special attention to the areas around windows and doors; where pipes enter walls; around light switch and outlet boxes and anywhere two materials meet.
• To help reduce home heating demand, consider using motorized air intake and outlet dampeners, minimizing the exchange of air through openings and ducts.
• Keep your furnace clean.  Change or clean your filter monthly during the heating season.  Washable filters should be completely dry before replacing them in the filter rack.
• Have your system checked yearly by a professional.  Regular maintenance helps keep it working efficiently and safely.

We hope these tips help you save your hard earned money.  We will continue to add any new tips that we become aware of to our list so that we keep you as informed as possible.  If you know of any tips that do not appear on our list, please tell our Webmaster and we will add it to our list so that all our members can benefit.  Thanks and have a great time saving!