NEWINGTON, Conn. — When storms knock out power across Connecticut, many homes will turn to the generator to temporarily restore power.
Experts said it's important to make sure it works before the storm even starts and not to wait until it's already raining.
Vice President of Newington Electric Company April Mealha told FOX61 generator safety is key in storms like this one. Make sure you have a licensed electrician install your automatic or portable generator and then show you how to properly use it.
“The most common mistake is thinking they can run the generator in the garage with the door shut, in their house, running cords through the house. That’s unsafe," Mealha said.
Mealha added that other mistakes include "not using the right fuel, not checking oil, not making sure the batteries are charged.”
This reminder comes as FOX61 meteorologists forecast 50 mph winds heading toward the state, along with some heavy rain Tuesday evening into Wednesday morning.
Eversource officials said they're expecting outages, and in the event of an outage, the first locations serviced will be hospitals, police departments, and fire stations. Once those are up and running, the line crews will switch to neighborhoods.
Anyone with questions regarding proper generator use can contact Newington Electric at 860-667-1948 or can visit their website at newingtonelectric.com
Brooke Griffin is a reporter for FOX61 News. She can be reached at bgriffin@fox61.com. Follow her on Facebook, X, and Instagram.
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