Western Massachusetts prepares for power outages ahead of Nor'easter

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – Some areas could be getting a foot of snow and possibly more.

22News spoke with first responders about what to do in the event of a power outage. “If you prepare before an outage occurs, you’ll save yourself some time and worry,” said Lt. Tony Spear, West Springfield Fire Department.

A Nor’easter, making its way through western Massachusetts. And with a large amount of snow expected, storm damage and power outages are possible. Local fire departments say to be prepared and have a plan.

“The things that we would be concerned with are your heating system, how are you going to heat your home while the power is out, and whether are you going to use supplemental heating,” adds Lt. Spear. “Or supplemental power and are you using those things with caution?”

Lt Spear says never operate a portable generator inside a home or even your garage and clear snow away from outside vents for fuel-burning appliances to avoid carbon monoxide buildup.
In addition to that, he says to stay away from power lines and leave that to the professionals.

Always assume any downed power line is live, and avoid anything that may be touching them, like vehicles, tree branches, and even puddles. During a power outage, emergency medical responders say to check on elderly family members and neighbors, especially if they rely on a medical device that needs power.

“Making sure that they are warm and have all the resources that they need, maybe even helping shovel out their walkway, making sure walkways are shoveled is really the difference in the time it takes for us to respond,” said Kim D’Angelo, American Medical Response.

AMR recommends portable battery power stations that operate without gas, as a temporary emergency backup for certain electrical devices.