Were you at Care & Share on Tuesday, March 5, when the electricity went out for sixty minutes?
Before noon, the power to the shopping center, and about 225 other customers in the area, was lost due to an electrical fire in the service area. Customers were in the shoppes, our team members were throughout the building, and donors were dropping off their donations.
Our shoppes have emergency lighting which goes on within moments after a power outage. It allows us to carefully but safely navigate people out of the shoppes and work areas. The emergency lighting is primarily battery-operated and will last 45-60 minutes.
When the power goes out, our procedure is to close the shoppes and for team members to make their way to the break rooms. On Tuesday, we achieved this in a fairly organized fashion. The PPL website suggested power would return in three hours, and after about 50 minutes, we sent team members home since the emergency lighting was going out. As Murphy would have it, as the last people were pulling out of the parking lot, the power came back on. We were able to reopen the shoppes at 1:30. Our donation tent never closed, they kept operating throughout!
This event allowed us to assess our response to a power outage. Our first concern is always the safety of our customers, volunteers, and staff. Our workrooms can be difficult to maneuver in diminished lighting, especially with the lack of windows for any outside natural light.
We have decided that going forward, the updated protocol when the power goes out will be to first get the customers out of the shoppes and lock up. Then our staff will guide volunteers to the breakrooms, and everyone will proceed outside to their cars. Team members can wait in their cars until an all clear to return or a decision to close is made. Staff will be sure that all workroom exterior doors are locked.
Thus, if the power goes out and you’re leaving your department to go to the break rooms and exit the building, please take any personal effects with you to avoid the need to return back to workrooms or shoppes prior to the return of power. If you do not have a car or vehicle to sit in, remain in the breakroom and a staff person in charge will collect your information. You should then contact your transportation to alert them as to the possibility the shoppes will close due to a power outage.
It’s very difficult to know when to close or when to wait it out. We will do our best to make the decision based on known facts at the time. We appreciate your assistance in safely clearing the building. Power outages never come at a good time, but we can be ready to react in a responsible way when they do! Thanks for your work with Care & Share.
