A major power outage is affecting the Santa Fe area, with over 20,000 people without power in Santa Fe County. The cause of the outage has not been disclosed.

Preparation is Key

Being prepared for an outage is essential, as many things we rely on every day could be impacted. Building an emergency preparedness kit can help you ride out a power outage. The kit should include at least 1 gallon of water per person, a flashlight with extra batteries, a portable cell phone charger, important documents, extra cash, a portable hand crank radio, a first aid kit, and nonperishable food.

PNM advises everyone to take precautions in case of an extended power outage, including having alternative charging methods for phones and devices, knowing how to operate the manual release lever of electric garage door openers, and keeping at least a half tank of gas in your car.

During an Outage

PNM suggests turning off appliances and unplugging electrical equipment, keeping refrigerator and freezer doors closed, and using flashlights for emergency lighting. In the summer, it is recommended to move to the lowest level of your home and wear lightweight clothing to stay cool. In the winter, wear layers of warm clothing and do not use your oven as a source of heat.

For additional tips and information, you can download the Red Cross Power Outage Checklist.

Original reporting: KOAT Albuquerque — read the source article.