Editor:
During the last two weeks the Sweet Home community has twice dealt with periods without electricity. Neither of these occasions caused any great crisis and amounted to little more than an inconvenience. Many houses started to get a bit cold, the traffic lights didn’t work and I missed the last half of the game but that’s about it. However, both occasions caused me concern for one key reason. Many of you, whether you knew it or not, were unable to call out for police, fire or medical help should it have been needed.
Many of us now have cordless phones throughout our homes. But, did you know that when the power is out these phones are completely inoperative? If in doubt, just unplug your cordless phone from the power outlet and see if you can make a call. The elderly, who may be dependant on electricity to run medical equipment, may be most in need of calling for assistance when the power is out.
If your “Santa list” is not finalized, I suggest you ask for one old-fashioned corded phone to put somewhere in your house. They can be found new for $10 to $20 or for next to nothing at garage sales. I keep one plugged in at all times so that when the power goes out I can still make and receive calls.
Remember, cell phones systems are great and will continue to work for a period of time without electricity. However, over the long haul batteries go dead and the systems themselves may not provide the long-term reliability we all want when our loved ones need help.
Robert H. Burford
Chief of Police
Sweet Home