Power outages are a relatively common issue here on the North Coast, whether it's due to frequent winter storms or an occasional issue with the grid itself. Because of this, it's important to be prepared when the power goes out, and after a few incidents over the past couple of months, it might be time to refresh on what we do on campus when we're left in the dark. 

First, obviously, don't panic! These happen at least a handful of times every year and are very rarely the result of anything serious. 

Although you might immediately be tempted to find out more information, please DO NOT call Facilities Management, University Police, or PG&E. It takes some time to uncover the underlying reason behind the outage, and they will not have information right away. Even after the reason is uncovered, there is no need to inundate them with calls. 

Information regarding the outage, if it is still ongoing, may be communicated via a variety of methods - the Public Safety pagelet on the Portal, 90.5 KHSU, the Info Line at 707-826-INFO(4636), and/or, if necessary, the HSUAlert text messaging system. Again, it will take some time before there is quality information, and when there is information to report, we will do so via one of these methods. Until that time, stay safe and be patient. The campus will look to release further guidance regarding the status of campus operations at approximately the one hour mark after the outage. 

If the situation becomes unsafe, know where your building's Rally Point and Emergency Assembly Point (EAP) are and be prepared to evacuate if needed.

And finally, it always helps to have a flashlight or headlamp at/near your desk just in case you do need to move about in the dark. 

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out to HSU Emergency Management at eoc@humboldt.edu