Power outages are on the rise in California, affecting the Westchester campus directly with three shortages to the neighborhood grid this semester. With the region’s recent history of rolling summer blackouts, LMU Emergency Management reminds all Lions to be prepared before you’re left in the dark.
Before an Outage:
- Have a flashlight and backup batteries on hand.
- Inventory the items you need that rely on electricity and have an alternate power source, such as a portable charger for your phone or a backup generator.
- Consider medical needs – if you have medical devices that require electricity, or medicines that need refrigeration; talk to your doctor to create a plan.
During an Outage:
- Use flashlights, not candles (or any other type of open flame).
- Avoid elevators.
- Check elevators to determine if anyone is trapped inside. If so:
- Tell passengers to stay calm, and immediately call Campus Safety at 310.338.2893 or via the Rave Guardian app.
- Do not attempt to force open elevator doors yourself.
- Unplug and turn off electrical equipment (e.g. desktop computers, laboratory equipment, small appliances)
- Report any issues related to or resulting from the outage to Campus Safety.
Power Outages at LMU
During an unexpected outage, campus may be impacted for a short or extended period.
Depending on the length of the disruption, normal operations and certain ITS functions may be limited. Disruptions may also impact the surrounding area, including closures of retail businesses, grocery stores, gas stations, ATMs, banks, and other services. Please note, during and immediately following an outage, you may experience delays in accessing doors or areas that require OneCard entry.
During an outage, LMU staff will coordinate directly with the L.A. Department of Water and Power to identify the cause and estimated restoration of power. The university will send regular updates via LMU Alert so community members can make accommodations. You can also view the estimated restoration time on the LADWP outage map (and if you need to update your contact info for LMU Alert, now is a good time! Follow the steps listed here).
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For more power outage preparedness tips, including food storage and generator safety, visit the power outage pages of LMU Emergency Management and ready.gov.