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SRMT Office of Emergency Management and Safety Urges Proper Extreme Winter Weather Safety Protocols

Jan 12, 2024

AKWESASNE — (Tsiothohrkó:wa/January 12, 2024) In preparation for winter storm Gerri, the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe’s Office of Emergency Management and Safety (OEMS) is reminding community members to take proper safety protocols in the event of a power outage. A warming center will be on stand-by, should one be needed.

The US National Weather Service out of Burlington Vermont anticipates winter storm Gerri to bring strong winds throughout the region, as well as snowfall and a wintry mixed precipitation. Should the local power be disrupted due to the storm, the OEMS urges Akwesasne community members to practice the following safety protocols:

  • Outdoors is the only safe place to operate a generator. Never run a generator indoors and keep it away from your home’s windows and doors.
  • Do not use a wall outlet. Connecting a portable electric generator directly to your household wiring can be deadly to you and others. A generator that is directly connected to your home's wiring can 'back feed' onto the power lines connected to your home and injure neighbors or utility workers.
  • Improper use and installation of generators could cause Carbon Monoxide (CO) Poisoning. Make sure your home has carbon monoxide alarms outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home. CO can kill in as little as five minutes.
  • Symptoms of CO poisoning are dizziness, headaches, nausea, and tiredness. If you think your experiencing CO poisoning, get fresh air, do not re-enter impacted areas, and call 911, the Tribal Police at (518) 358-9200, 911 or Akwesasne Central Dispatch (613) 575-2000.
  • There is a lot of valuable information out there to help ensure you are using a generator in the safest possible way. For more information and to help you prepare, check out website like redcross.org or generac.com.
  • Be sure to check on elderly family members, neighbors and others who may need assistance during an outage.

Please stay tuned to local media for important announcements from emergency officials for emergency procedures. If a power outage occurs, customers should call Saint Regis Mohawk Tribal Police at (518) 358-9200 or National Grid at 1(800) 867-5222 to expedite restoration.

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The Saint Regis Mohawk Tribal Council is the duly elected and federally recognized government of the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe.