Additionally, bookmark the official EPB Outage Map on your mobile device. The map displays active outages, the number of affected customers, and status updates from repair crews. ## Creating a Home Emergency Kit A well-stocked emergency kit is essential for comfort and safety when the lights go out. Your kit should be easily accessible and contain enough supplies to sustain your household for at least 72 hours. * **Water and Food:** Store at least one gallon of water per person per day. Stock up on non-perishable food items that do not require cooking or refrigeration, such as canned goods, dried fruits, nuts, and energy bars. Keep a manual can opener nearby. * **Lighting:** Avoid using candles due to the risk of fire. Instead, equip your home with LED flashlights, lanterns, and headlamps. Keep a generous supply of extra batteries in various sizes. * **Power Banks:** Fully charge portable power banks and external batteries for mobile phones, tablets, and medical devices. * **First Aid and Hygiene:** Maintain a fully stocked first aid kit, essential prescription medications, and basic hygiene products.
## Protecting Appliances and Electronics EPB’s smart grid is designed to automatically reroute power and minimize the duration of outages, but voltage fluctuations can still occur when power goes out or is restored. Protect sensitive electronics, such as computers, televisions, and smart home devices, by plugging them into high-quality surge protectors. During an outage, unplug major appliances like microwaves, refrigerators, and air conditioning units to prevent damage from potential power surges when the grid is re-energized. Leave one light switched on so you will easily know when service has been restored. Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible. An unopened refrigerator will keep food cold for about four hours, while a full freezer can maintain its temperature for up to 48 hours.
## Reporting an Outage to EPB If your power goes out, check to see if your neighbors are also in the dark to determine if the issue is isolated to your home. If the outage is widespread, report it to EPB immediately. You can report an outage through the following direct methods: * **Online:** Use the EPB customer portal or the mobile app to report the outage with a few clicks. * **Phone:** Call EPB’s customer service line to report the outage using the automated system or by speaking with a representative. * **Text:** If you are enrolled in EPB text alerts, send the designated report keyword to the official EPB shortcode.
Never approach downed power lines. If you see a fallen line, treat it as live and dangerous. Stay at least 30 feet away and report it immediately to emergency services or EPB. ## EPB Fiber Optic and Internet Considerations Because EPB provides both electricity and fiber optic internet services, an electrical outage will affect your home network. While EPB's fiber infrastructure is designed with backup power systems to keep the main network running, your home router and modem require electricity to function. If you need to maintain internet access during a power outage, consider connecting your optical network terminal (ONT) and Wi-Fi router to an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) battery backup. This setup can keep your home Wi-Fi active for several hours, allowing you to stay connected to the internet during brief power interruptions.
