Community Corner

Derecho, Power Outage and Food Safety Tips

If you lose power, how long will that cheese stay good? What about your stocked freezer? Find out here.

Local weather forecasters are looking at a major network of storms that could spawn a derecho (high speed straight-line winds) and damaging rain late Wednesday and Thursday across Northern Virginia.

The following are safety tips and resources to use as you prepare for the storm. 

For more on this week's coming storms

Find out what's happening in Annandalewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

  • Northern Virginia Storm Safety: Social Media Accounts to Follow or Fan

Emergency Supplies

  • For a list of suggested emergency supplies you should collect for your family, visit the Virginia Department of Emergency Management Ready Virginia page
  • Remember to account for your pets in your family plan—have extra food and water on hand for them and make an evacuation plan that includes them in the event you need to leave your home.

Food Safety

Find out what's happening in Annandalewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Communication and Power Outage Tips:

  • Save important phone numbers to your phone or write them down, especially your power company.
  • Make sure you have a battery-powered radio. 
  • .
  • View additional tips from Dominion Virginia Power and NOVEC
    • Dominion Virginia Power outages and downed wires: Call 1-866-DOM-HELP (1-866-366-4357) to report power outages, even if you think your neighbor has already done so. Dominion has an interactive power outage map you can check out, too.
    • NOVEC (Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative) outages and downed wires: call 1-888-335-0500 or 703-335-0500 and view outage reports here.
  • Stay away from downed wires as they may be live with electricity, even if they aren’t actively sparking.
  • Do not use candles as they may pose a fire threat. Stock up on batteries for your flashlights before the storm hits.
  • Be sure to operate generators safely.


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