BROCKTON —Downtown Brockton will be affected by a planned emergency power outage Tuesday night into Wednesday morning as National Grid repairs an underground cable overnight, the Brockton Emergency Management Agency announced in a post on Facebook.
The outage is scheduled to begin Tuesday at 10 p.m. and last until 7 a.m. Wednesday.
Residents and business owners on parts of Main Street, Crescent Street, VFW Parkway, Warren Avenue, L Street, School Street, Legion Parkway, Montello Street, Commercial Street, Centre Street and High Street will be affected.
“Residents and businesses should prepare for an extended overnight power outage,” the Brockton Emergency Management Agency wrote.
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Here’s everything you need to know to prepare. This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
What we know Wednesday morningLatest on Brockton power outage: Is it over?
How many Brockton residents will be impacted?
Approximately 450 National Grid customers will be impacted by the power outage, according to the company.
Which areas in Brockton will be affected?
Parts of Main Street, Crescent Street, VFW Parkway, Warren Avenue, L Street, School Street, Legion Parkway, Montello Street, Commercial Street, Centre Street and High Street will be affected.
What happens if power is not on when school starts?
According to Brockton Public Schools spokesperson Jordan Mayblum, the district's Operations Team has a plan in place to mitigate the impacts of the power outage at the schools within the affected area.
The only BPS building that is in the affected area is Central. "We'll be monitoring things closely and Central is on a generator so it should not be impacted," Mayblum said.
The Operations Team will also closely monitor the building's IT systems and equipment will be shut off prior to the outage and re-activated after the work is complete. The Building Management System will also be closely monitored tomorrow morning to ensure all systems are operational.
Since Brockton High School is not within the affected area, breakfast will continue as usual.
While the Arnone School, Plouffe Middle School and the Adult Learning Center are close to the boundary in the outage map, the district is not expecting any impacts at these locations.
Should you unplug computers to avoid surges?
National Grid recommends unplugging PC computers to avoid damage caused by electrical surges when the power returns.
Will I have water? What about hot water?
Water will still be on in Brockton for the duration of the power outage. If your home has an electric hot water heater, hot water will not be available for the duration of the outage. If you have a gas hot water heater, hot water will still be available.
Is it safe to eat refrigerated food after the outage?
According to the Food Standards Agency (FSA), food in the refrigerator is safe to eat for up to four hours after the power is cut. Food in the freezer should be safe to consume for up to 48 hours.
Since the duration of the outage is planned for 10 p.m. to 7 a.m., refrigerated foods will not be safe for consumption after 2 a.m.
Refrigerated food should not be stored outside unless the temperature drops below 46° F, according to the FSA. The low in Brockton is forecast to be in the 60s overnight, meaning food should not be stored outside.
Will there be extra police on duty to direct traffic?
There will be extra police on duty for the duration of the outage, according to BEMA Director Stephan Hooke.
Will there be an emergency shelter for people who need electricity for medical equipment etc.?
The city does not plan to open an emergency shelter as of Tuesday at 1:30 p.m., however the city has the ability to open up a shelter at a moment’s notice, Hooke said.
“I think we’re in good shape and we’ll deal with any issues as they arise,” he said.
What to do before the power gets shut off
According to National Grid, residents and business owners should prepare by doing the following things before the power gets shut off tonight at 10 p.m.
- Stock up on flashlights and spare batteries or other lighting sources
- Charge mobile phones, tablets and other electronic devices. Charge medical equipment as needed and purchase back-up batteries for essential medical supplies
- Stock up on food and drinks that don't require electricity to prepare
- Switch off electrical appliancessuch as grills, hair straighteners and TVs and PCs
- Boil hot water and store in a thermos for hot drinks or a heating source
- Fill your car with gas
How can I keep my food fresh and safe during the power outage
If your power was out just a few hours and you didn't open the refrigerator or freezer, chances are, the food is fine. A refrigerator should keep food cold for four hours and a half-full freezer 24 hours (48 hours if the freezer is full) if you don't open the doors, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service.
- Try not to open the refrigerator and freezer doors (doing so lets the cold air escape).
- If you know the power will be out for an extended period, get ice or dry ice to keep foods cold. Fifty pounds of dry ice, the Food and Drug Administration says, should hold an 18-cubic-foot freezer for two days. Take care when handling dry ice; don't handle it with bare hands or place it directly on foods.
- Use a refrigerator-freezer thermometer to check the temperature.
- In either the refrigerator or freezer, if the temperature is 40 degrees or below, the food is safe.
- The refrigerator will keep food safe for up to four hours. If the power is off longer, transfer the food to a cooler and fill it with ice or frozen gel packs. You need to make sure there is enough ice to keep food in the cooler at 40 degrees or below — replenishing the ice as it begins to melt.
- Check the packages. If the food still contains ice crystals or is at 40 degrees or below when checked with a food thermometer, you can refreeze it, but the quality may not be the same.
- Group foods together in the freezer to help them stay cold longer.
- Keep food on ice in coolers.
Why the emergency power outage?
According to a National Grid correspondence shared by the Brockton Mayor Robert Sullivan's office, the company will need to make repairs to an electrical cable on Frederick Douglas Avenue after a contractor dug into it last Friday, May 31.
“We will need to make repairs to that cable along with deenergizing the cable beside it for safety reasons while we complete our work,” Joe Cardinal, National Grid's community relations representative for the region, wrote.
Map:Plymouth County power outage tracking
During the outage: How to stay safe
According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, residents and business owners should follow these safety guidelines during the outage:
- Keep freezer and refrigerator doors closed
- Do not use gas stoves as a heating source
- Disconnect appliances and electronics to avoid electrical surge damage
- Make alternate plans for refrigerating medicine and power-dependent medical devices
- Go to an alternative location for heating or cooling needs
- Check on vulnerable neighbors and family members
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
