Photo by Justin Hoffmann

Mayor Muriel Bowser made it clear today that D.C.’s forthcoming blizzard is a matter of life and death. With a storm of this type, widespread outages could take several days to restore, according to Pepco.

“Pepco is well prepared for the storm, but if roads become impassable due to deep snow and downed trees, our power restoration efforts could be slowed,” said Pepco’s president, Donna Cooper. Now is the time to plan for emergencies.

Here are some preparedness tips from the utility company:

Have adequate prescription medicines or infant supplies on hand.

If you or someone you know uses life-support equipment that requires electricity to operate, identify a location with emergency power capabilities and make plans to go there during a prolonged outage.

Assemble an emergency “storm kit.” Include a battery-powered radio or television, flashlight, a first-aid kit, battery-powered or windup clock, extra batteries, special needs items, an insulated cooler and a list of important and emergency phone numbers.

Keep at least a three-day supply of non-perishable foods and bottled water and have a hand-operated can opener available.

Have a telephone with a cord or cell phone to use as a backup. Cordless telephones require electricity to operate and won’t work if there is an outage.

Protect your electronic equipment. Unplug sensitive electronics or plug computers and other sensitive equipment into surge suppressors and consider a UPS (uninterruptible power supply) for temporary battery backup power.

Turn off power to flood-prone basement appliances if it is safe to do so. However, if you have an electrically operated sump pump, you should not turn off the power in your basement.

Tune in to local news broadcasts for the latest weather and emergency information.

Follow the advice of your local emergency management officials.

Take cover if necessary.

Customers can find additional tips on preparing for a storm on Pepco’s website.

Also, customers can (and should) report power outages by calling 1-877-PEPCO-62 (1-877-737-2662), visiting pepco.com or through the utility’s mobile app. Customers can also request a call back to verify their power has been restored.

Lastly, Pepco says that customers should always assume that downed wires are energized and avoid them. Downed wires can be reported by calling 1-877-PEPCO-62 (1-877-737-2662).