Preparation helps limit effects of power outages

Sudden power outages can be frustrating and troublesome, especially when they last a long time. Don’t panic.

Check to see if neighbors still have electricity. If they do, the problem could be inside your home. Check your main fuses or circuit breakers to see if they have blown or tripped. Call the nonemergency line of the police department, after business hours, to report the outage only if you know that other neighbors have not already called.

We handle a multitude of medical issues caused by outages and unnecessary notifications can cause delays on critical incidents.

There is an emergency status hotline available as an option on the police department recording, use this to get updates; call 702-293-9224 and press option No. 2.

Please note we will not list all streets affected by the outage, only general areas.

We contact electrical crews and will update the recording only when they advise us. We will not know how long an outage is expected or when power will be restored. Crews will be busy fixing the issue and will notify us only when the job is complete.

Keep appliances closed and sealed to prevent loss of perishable foods (wrap blankets around refrigerators or freezers to provide extra insulation if outage is extended). If temperatures are extreme, consider staying with friends or in a community center where electricity is available.

Keeping bottled water, canned soda and juices stored in a cool place will eliminate dependence on the refrigerator. Unplug appliances with electronic components to prevent damage when power is restored.

Keep a supply of the following on hand at all times and in an accessible place: flashlights with extra batteries, battery-operated radio, candles, matches, basic first aid supplies, small supply of nonperishable food, alternative cooking source, and an ABC multipurpose fire extinguisher.

May 21. Suspicious vehicle: The vehicle in the driveway without headlights turns out to be the paper delivery person at 1:06 a.m. in the 500 block of Seventh Street.

Suspicious: Female in the car appears to be unconscious for several hours but is just taking a nap at 5:46 p.m. in the 600 block of Christina Drive.

Drunk: A caller states that a woman who appears to be drunk is pounding on the door of a nearby residence at 7:25 p.m. in the 1500 block of Foothill Drive.

Thought for the day: It’s getting way too hot to take naps in your car now. Let’s stay safe.

May 22. DUI: A subject almost makes it out of our jurisdiction at 1:16 a.m. in the area of our south city limits.

DUI: Another one bites the dust at 3:17 a.m. in the area of our south city limits.

Medical: Our worst nightmare is realized with a baby not breathing at 10:21 a.m. in the 600 block of Eighth Street.

Thought for the day: Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is successful and the child is breathing and transported for additional care.

May 23. Person on foot: An officer checks the welfare of an intoxicated individual at 2:42 a.m. in the area of Georgia Avenue and Adams Boulevard.

Assist: A caller who claims to be a recent patient in psychiatric care, confesses to calling other jurisdictions repeatedly, then advises about finding a wallet and wanting permission to return it to the owner at 1:10 p.m. in the 1000 block of Nevada Way.

Drugs: Resident is reportedly eating cookies with more than flour in them at 5:39 p.m. in the 100 block of Veterans Memorial Drive.

Thought for the day: It’s not legal yet no matter what form you try it in.

May 24. DUI: At almost two times the legal limit, you are as “think as we drunk you are” at 1:33 a.m. in the 1000 block of Nevada Way.

Theft: Four patio chairs have migrated to another part of the property. Crime solved at 8:06 a.m. in the 700 block of Avenue B.

Traffic: Foreign drivers are escorted to the station to post bail for their citation at 2:19 p.m. in the area of the south city limits.

Thought for the day: We suspect that you won’t want to return from France just to appear at your court date so we allow you to post your fine in case the trip back ends up being a bit too costly.

May 25. Traffic: Just when you thought sneaking out for a night of driving around sounds fun, here come the cops. At 2 a.m. in the 1000 block of Nevada Way.

Animal: A very speedy Chihuahua evades arrest despite the apparent lack of tags at 9:38 a.m. in the area of Fairway and Irene drives.

Traffic: The accident vehicle that was unsafe last night is still unsafe today for driving on the roadway at 1:38 p.m. in the area of Veterans Memorial Drive and U.S. Highway 93.

Thought for the day: That pesky curfew can be a real bother when you’re approaching adulthood.

May 26. Damage: A volleyball post suffers a fatal tilt after a bout of heavy use at 10:34 a.m. in the area of Veterans Memorial Park.

Welfare check: An intoxicated man seen face down in the grass sits up and affirms he is just fine before doing a face plant back in the turf at 11:59 a.m. in the 600 block of Nevada Way.

Reckless driver: Two jurisdictions join the attempt to get an elderly female to stop long enough to determine the possible problem at 3:07 p.m. in the 1000 block of Nevada Way.

Thought for the day: The elderly driver confirms she is just on her way to Summerlin before disappearing down the truck route (heading to Arizona).

May 27. Animal: A fugitive group of ducks was last seen heading down Fifth Street toward Avenue B at 7:01 a.m. in the area of 800 Avenue A.

Accident: A semitrailer of pavers rolls down the hill taking out a hydrant and electrical meter before coming to a rest at 8:22 a.m. in the 1300 block of Alpine Drive.

Welfare check: A caller has an autistic brother who is cycling from New York to Los Angeles and has lost his wallet at 10:17 a.m. in the area of mile marker 54 on U.S. Highway 95.

Thought for the day: Mother duck and her nine babies safely make it to their destination unscathed.

Call(s) of the week: An officer advises that he will be on a traffic stop with an unregistered lion vehicle. After clarification it appears the participants have bedazzled their vehicle into a lion complete with fur and mane, failing to consider the tail covers the area for licensing. The forgotten city groupies return to their off-road habitat at 4:45 p.m. in the area of Bootleg Canyon.

Have a great week.

Tina Ransom is a dispatcher with Boulder City Police Department. She is coordinator of the Boulder City Citizen’s Academy.