2,500 Lose Power in Rose Hill

More than 2,500 Rose Hill residents are without power now due to Hurricane Irene, according to Dominion Power. The Rose Hill outages are primarily in the Wilton Woods area, between Telegraph and Franconia Roads and east of Rose Hill Drive.

Those without power are out of luck for the moment. Crews are on standby, waiting for the weather to improve and the winds to die down before heading out to fix broken connections. “As the storm moves out of an area, and conditions are safe, our crews are ready to get to work,” according to a notice on the power company’s website.

More than 27,000 Northern Virginia residents are now without power and 800,000 are without power across the commonwealth.

Dominion Power is experiencing long wait times and high call volume as residents report outages. The number to call to report your outage is 1-866-DOM-HELP. Please have your account number on hand.

More information is available at www.dom.com, which you can access from a mobile device.

Safety Tips: Flashlights, Generators and Wires

Dominion Power and nnational product safety and firefighter groups urge residents to be careful when the power goes out.

Some of their suggestions:

• Turn off major appliances such as heat pumps, water heaters and stoves. Unplug other appliances such as TVs, stereos, microwaves and computers. This will prevent damage to appliances and possible overloads to the company's system when power is restored.
• Post a list of contents on your freezer door to minimize the number of times you open it.
• Leave one lamp or light on so you will be able to recognize when power is restored.

• Never use portable generators indoors or in garages, basements or sheds. Move them away from windows, doors and vents. Generators release exhaust that contains high levels of carbon monoxide, which can be deadly if confined inside. "Carbon monoxide is an invisible killer," said U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Chairman Inez Tenenbaum. "CO is odorless and colorless and it can kill you and your family in minutes.”
• Never use charcoal grills or camp stoves indoors. They too can produce lethal levels of carbon monoxide.
• Candles are not recommended. Use a flashlight instead when lights are out.
• Install carbon monoxide alarms outside bedrooms and on every level of the home. Don't forget to change the alarms’ batteries.
• Stay away from any downed wires, including cable TV feeds. They may be live with deadly voltage. 
• Do not handle or operate electrical appliances while standing in water. 
• Don't turn on electrical components, including circuit breakers, wiring in the walls and outlets that have been under water. They need to be replaced and tested by a qualified electrician.
• Replace natural gas or propane valves that have been under water.
• Smell and listen for leaky gas connections. If you believe there is a gas leak, immediately leave the house and leave the door(s) open. Never strike a match. Any size flame can spark an explosion. Before turning the gas back on, have the gas system checked by a professional.

Information provided by Dominion Power, CPSC and U.S. Fire Administration.