Portlanders wake to downed trees, power outages
By Jeffrey Lindblom
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PORTLAND Oregon (KPTV) — People in the Portland area woke up to downed trees and power outages Saturday morning.
Neighbors living off Thorburn Street in southeast Portland said they walked out of their houses to find a tree lying across the road in front of their homes.
“It blocked the road completely,” Larry Krawl said.
Cindy Fontenot added, “It sort of broke off and grabbed a powerline.”
Living in Portland for nearly a decade, Fontenot said she has seen weather-related incidents in her neighborhood at least once a year or, “probably about twice a year. There’s a lot of trees,” she said.
Krawl said he has been living in the city since ‘88.
“We’ve had some interesting things,” Krawl said. “Ice storms, snowstorms.”
The two said weather events can happen at any time and they keep as prepared as they can.
Krawl said he has a backup generator, and Fontenot keeps an emergency kit on hand with “candles, flashlights, hand warmers and blankets. Anything we might need to be comfortable for a couple hours or days.”
“You prepare over the years,” Krawl said. “You find your weak spots in your system and try to beef that up a little bit.”
Krawl said he recommends Portland newcomers speak with their neighbors to familiarize themselves with what they can expect from weather to make sure they’re ready to handle what the elements may bring.
Fontenot also suggested having an arborist come by and take a look at trees near a person’s home.
TIPS FOR A POWER OUTAGE FROM PGE: Prepare an outage kit that includes: Flashlight or headlamps. Battery-powered or hand crank radio and alarm clock or watch. Car charger for your cell phone, laptops and/or tablets. 72-hour supply of ready-to-eat food and water. Extra blankets. Bottled water for people and animals (if you rely on electricity to pump water). Be familiar with safe cooking, heating, and lighting practices. Information on safe generator use and other safety tips are available at portlandgeneral.com/safety. Protect home electronics by investing in surge protection equipment. See options at portlandgeneral.com/surge. If you have an electric garage door opener, learn how to operate it manually. For more winter-ready tips, visit portlandgeneral.com/beprepared.
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