Outage Preparation

From time-to-time, our service area experiences a major storm that causes wide-spread power outages. Our crews and contractor work diligently to maintain the rights of way (ROW) to standard widths, but in many cases the surrounding trees far surpass the height of the power lines. If these trees are weighed down by heavy snow, or we experience a wind event, those trees fall into the lines, snapping poles and breaking wire in the process.

Spanning an area from the top of the Blue Ridge Mountains to the West Virginia border, BARC’s electric distribution system traverses some of the most rugged terrain in the state of Virginia. In many cases, our lines do not abut the roadway, but instead cut directly over mountains and span valleys, making power restoration a more time-consuming process. It is this system that we are tasked with maintaining for your benefit.

As your electric cooperative, we are singularly focused on providing affordable, reliable service to our members. We want you to be prepared and know how to effectively report an outage and where to turn for outage-restoration updates.

• Stock your pantry with a three-day supply of non-perishable food, such as canned goods, energy bars, peanut butter, powdered milk, instant coffee and other essentials (i.e., diapers and toiletries).

• Water, one gallon per person per day; fill bathtub and other containers.

• Confirm that you have adequate sanitation and hygiene supplies including towelettes, soap and hand sanitizer.

• Ensure your First Aid kit is stocked with pain relievers, bandages and other medical essentials, and make sure your prescriptions are current.

• Set aside basic household items you will need, including flashlights, batteries, a manual can opener and portable, battery-powered radio or TV, fire extinguisher and one phone that does not depend on electricity to function.

• Extra blankets and sleeping bags.

• Organize emergency supplies so they are easily accessible in one location.

• In the event of a prolonged power outage, turn off major appliances, TVs, computers and other sensitive electronics. This will help avert damage from a power surge, and will also help prevent overloading the circuits during power restoration.

• If you plan to use a small generator, make sure it’s rated to handle the amount of power you will need, and always review the manufacturer’s instructions to operate it safely. Generator Safety

• After the storm, avoid downed power lines and walking through flooded areas where power lines could be submerged. Allow ample room for utility crews to safely perform their jobs, including on your property.

Staying up to Date

When an outage occurs, you can track the status of our restoration efforts by:

Website

BARC’s website includes a front page newsfeed as well as an Outage History page. During major storms, we will be keeping our newsfeed and Outage History page up-to- date with the latest restoration news and locations. You can also visit our Outage Map and view real-time power outages in our service area

TV, radio or newspaper

BARC issues press releases during major storms to all local print, radio and television media outlets, and we are always updating our media contacts to keep them current.

Facebook

During major storms, BARC issues updates and posts them to its Facebook page. BARC’s Facebook fans can access outage content that will be posted to Facebook as well as our website, and will include up-to-date restoration news and locations. ** Do not post your outage to our Facebook page. By publicly announcing you are without power (or worse, are not home), you are potentially inviting criminal activity. We felt it was in our members’ best interests to prevent such activity by limiting our Facebook page to general restoration updates.