Power Outage

If the power outage seems to be a local event (IE: room, building) contact Campus Safety at extension 3300. If the power outage appears to be campus-wide, please do not tax the telephone system with calls to advise that a power outage has occurred. Campus Safety will already have this information and will be working on the problem.

The Chief Academic Officer in collaboration with other members of the Senior Leadership Team, will determine whether to cancel classes. However, individual professors may cancel their classes. Go to class if you have not received word that classes are canceled through the CSC Alert system or your professor. Information about class cancellations may also be posted on the college’s website.

The College shares the same power grid as the rest of the town, so it depends on the type of problem and its source. The cause and scope of the outage will impact how quickly New Hampshire Public Service crews will be able to restore service.

No. Residential Education staff members have flashlights in their apartments and/or offices for staff use. It is highly recommended that you keep a flashlight and batteries of your own on hand.

No. Candles and all other exposed flames are still against College policy during a power outage. The risk of causing a fire is even greater during this time.

Yes. Except to heat the water, the water system is not linked to the electrical system. You may flush and wash your hands during an outage, but you will not have hot water. Danforth Hall’s water system is dependent on electricity and so a power outage may impact the ability to use water during that time.

The electronic access control systems that secure all residence halls and most administrative buildings have a battery backup system and will generally operate in a power outage for 4 to 6 hours.

Elevators will not operate during a power outage, but the emergency lighting and telephone will operate normally. Persons trapped in an elevator should push the emergency call button which will dial 911 for assistance. Disabled persons trapped on upper floors and in need of assistance should contact Campus Safety at x3300 or dial 911. Please be patient, as it is anticipated the Campus Safety office will be inundated with telephone calls.

Power outages generally do not last more than four hours. The best course of action during a power outage is to remain in your residence hall room until instructed to do otherwise. This is especially important during cold weather months, as the heating systems in buildings without auxiliary power do not function during a power outage. By reducing the number of times people enter and exit the buildings we will be able to retain heat and keep residents comfortable for a greater period of time. It's also important to ensure all windows are closed securely to prevent additional heat loss.

If weather conditions permit, and it is safe to walk there, students can use the Ware Student Center to warm themselves, charge their electronic devices, and/or sleep until the power is restored. During long-term power outages, the college may set up an emergency shelter for displaced students. Information regarding location and other details will be communicated using the CSCAlert system.

After power is restored the Communications office may e-mail the campus community any pertinent outage information. Please refrain from contacting Campus Safety or New London Dispatch with inquires during the outage, as these offices are already busy with incoming calls.

There are a number of buildings on campus that have auxiliary power systems, those include:

• Baird Health and Counseling Center
• Best Hall
• Burpee Hall
• Caretakers Cottage
• Colgate Hall
• Curtis Ivey Science Center
• Lawson Hall
• Page Hall
• Susan Colgate Cleveland Library
• Ware Student Center

If weather conditions permit and it is safe to do so, students can use the Ware Student Center until the power is restored.

During long term power outages the College may set-up an emergency shelter for displaced students. Information regarding location and other details will be communicated using the CSCAlert system.

In the event of an outage, turn off all computers, lights and appliances to avoid a surge on the system when power is restored.

Please contact Campus Safety at (603) 526-3675 if you have additional questions.