Default Style Register
Daycare.com Forum
Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Urgent... Power Outage!
TwinKristi 10:44 AM 05-20-2014
So I noticed some gas & electric company cones yesterday at the end of the day but no one notified us of work or potential power outages in the neighborhood so I figured it was gas line work. No biggy! I turned on my crockpot this morning and we've been playing happily when poof... Our power went out. I can't really go out there to ask them with 5 littles in tow. I can't even get my stroller out and go for a walk because my garage door is electric. I had planned on making quesadillas today but now I'm guessing I will have to do PB&Js if they don't turn the power on soon.
Is this a licensing violation? I have one mom who I know cannot get here even if I did close, she works over an hour away and her dh just left this morning to go out of town and they're new to the area and knows no one! Another mom just left to take her dad to court so I would have to call Nana and I know DCM wouldn't be happy because Nana would forever be griping about it.
I just don't know what to do?? Aren't they supposed to notify me of this beforehand for this exact reason?
Reply
Naptime yet? 10:47 AM 05-20-2014
Hopefully it's a quick outage, which is why you weren't notified.

If you don't have running water, or power to the fridge, then I'd say yes, it's a licensing violation.
Reply
TwinKristi 10:49 AM 05-20-2014
I have running water, but my fridge and freezers are out.
Reply
Heidi 10:54 AM 05-20-2014
Well..since it's now almost lunch and nap, I would stay open. I would, however, notify the parents, and ask that they check with you at whatever time nap is over, being prepared for possible early pick up.

We had a 6 hour outage this winter. Terrible! Not during daycare hours, thankfully. It was freakin' cold in this house!
Reply
daycare_jen 10:54 AM 05-20-2014
Since you can't go out to ask about the outage, I'd suggest calling electric company to report the outage. Mine will tell you an estimate of how long it will be before it is turned back on.... sometimes. Mine went out in winter, but was out early enough that I was able to close for the day before children were here. It came on 4 hours later. I had no heat (freezing temps) and no way to heat bottles (mom provides frozen breastmilk).

If they can give you an estimate and it is less than an hour, I'd say try to stay open. If they can't give you an estimate, I would start calling parents, no matter how inconvenient it is for them.
Reply
Second Home 10:54 AM 05-20-2014
Can you contact the elec company and see how long they think the power will be out ?
Reply
melilley 10:54 AM 05-20-2014
Can you call your gas/electric company? I know here we can and they will give us updates about any outages.
Reply
melilley 10:55 AM 05-20-2014
Ooops sorry, we all must have posted at the same time...lol
Reply
melilley 10:56 AM 05-20-2014
Originally Posted by Heidi:

We had a 6 hour outage this winter. Terrible! Not during daycare hours, thankfully. It was freakin' cold in this house!

We had a 7 day outage the week of Christmas! It was the worst time ever and I had to close the 3 days that I was open that week!
Reply
butterfly 10:59 AM 05-20-2014
Originally Posted by melilley:
Can you call your gas/electric company? I know here we can and they will give us updates about any outages.
I would have to close for an extended outage. Licensing requires my fridge/freezer to stay at a certain temp and also my water temp. I couldn't maintain those things without power. Not to mention the inconvenience it causes for meal prep, etc.
Reply
Sugar Magnolia 11:03 AM 05-20-2014
Omg that would mean no air conditioning, and here that would be a major disaster. We must close if it goes out for more than a few minutes. I'd call for pick up.
Reply
craftymissbeth 11:16 AM 05-20-2014
We also have to close if it's more than a few minutes. If we lose electricity, water, if gas (my hot water heater is gas... so no warm water for washing hands) go out we have to close.

Before I opened, my policy was two hours without utilities, but my licensor said it's as soon as it goes out.

A few weeks ago, my electricity went out at 10:30 right when I was going to make lunch. I called the electric company and they told me the estimate for when it's be back on was 1:30. I called my families and let them know. Both dcm's said good, they didn't want to be at work anyway. Well, it came back on before either left work (20 minutes, maybe?) so I called and let me know. They were both actually MAD (not at me) that I wasn't closing
Reply
craftymissbeth 11:17 AM 05-20-2014
Originally Posted by Sugar Magnolia:
Omg that would mean no air conditioning, and here that would be a major disaster. We must close if it goes out for more than a few minutes. I'd call for pick up.
Yeah, no AC would be a no go for me

But we have to keep the house between 65-85 degrees during daycare. I prefer it to be 72 on the dot or I'm cranky
Reply
melilley 11:18 AM 05-20-2014
Originally Posted by craftymissbeth:
Yeah, no AC would be a no go for me

But we have to keep the house between 65-85 degrees during daycare. I prefer it to be 72 on the dot or I'm cranky
How funny! I always set my thermostat to 72!...lol
Reply
Unregistered 11:20 AM 05-20-2014
You do know that you can open your garage without power right? There should he a cord that hangs down from the opener. It moves back and forth as the chain goes up and down. You pull that cord hard and it will release the door. You can lift the door up by hand that way. Be careful though if its a wooden door it will slam down hard when you try to close it.
Reply
TwinKristi 11:26 AM 05-20-2014
^^ yeah but the garage is off limits so I couldn't go in there with the kids and they'd be left unattended otherwise.

I looked online and it looks like it will be out all day. I yelled out from my door to a guy out front and he got his supervisor who said he would have a generator for me within an hour and I think they're here now. My dh was about to come home from work and set ours up but this is easier and won't cost us money! He apologized profusely. They claim their "notice" came in the mail and looks like a flyer and most people throw it away because it looks like junk. I don't know that I did that or not but you'd think they'd change their method. They have my email too! So crisis averted. I'm just going to do a big snack, early nap and go from there.
Reply
TwinKristi 11:27 AM 05-20-2014
And no AC needed here! It's only 70 today and we have the doors open and such.

And I just checked he the fridge temp and I'm still within the "food" zone so we're all good! Having crackers, PB, strawberries and mandarin oranges for lunch! LOL
Reply
CraftyMom 11:31 AM 05-20-2014
Glad it worked out
Reply
craftymissbeth 11:38 AM 05-20-2014
Originally Posted by TwinKristi:
And no AC needed here! It's only 70 today and we have the doors open and such.

And I just checked he the fridge temp and I'm still within the "food" zone so we're all good! Having crackers, PB, strawberries and mandarin oranges for lunch! LOL
Yay! Glad you're getting some free power for awhile

70's pushing my comfort zone
Reply
TwinKristi 12:20 PM 05-20-2014
We don't even have AC here, just a portable unit we bring in for the summer time but it's not that hot quite yet. In the mid-80's next week so we'll see.

No generator yet. but it's nap time. I need to charge my phone though!!
Reply
SignMeUp 12:57 PM 05-20-2014
We had a big storm last year and power was out from Saturday to Thursday.
Monday I closed, but after that I had simple (no-cook) food in coolers with dry ice and stayed open for the mornings only. Afternoons were too hot and I couldn't be sure I could keep the kids cool.
I don't think we have licensing rules about this (yet), except that I believe our temperature in the house has to be at least 62 degrees.
Reply
TwinKristi 01:13 PM 05-20-2014
I'm pretty sure I have to hot water and keep my fridge at a certain temp which is where my concern is. So far my food is still at a good temp and I won't open my fridge again to check. Everyone is napping and I *think* I hear them installing the generator so we should be good to go for the rest of the day.
Reply
Blackcat31 01:20 PM 05-20-2014
In my state we must close if the power is out for more than 90 minutes.

My electric company will come tell us ahead of time though of an outage is planned for longer than 4 hours.
Reply
TwinKristi 02:28 PM 05-20-2014
Yeah they claim they send out alerts to customers via mail but it looks like a junk mail flyer so most people don't know. Great idea folks! They had an electrician out to get it hooked up within 90 mins, so all is good now. They could have saved themselves a lot of money had they actually notified me and had my husband set up our generator!
Reply
wdmmom 04:23 PM 05-20-2014
I notify families that power has gone out and if it is not restored within another 30 minutes, they are required to pick up as soon as possible (within 30 minutes) and I close for the remainder of the day.
Reply
Tags:emergency closure, power outage
Reply Up