It is severe weather season and one question the Anderson County Sheriff’s office hears all the time is …”my power is out, what do I do? They say that every time the power blinks or goes out, dispatch’s phone lines begin ringing off the hook. The short answer to the question, don’t call 911! Monday through Friday from 8:00 to 5:00, if you live in Garnett, call City Hall. If you live outside of Garnett, call your electric service provider. If you power is out after 5:00 on a weekday or over the weekend, call the non-emergent admin line and report your outage to the sheriff’s office. That number is (785) 448-5428.
Remember, dispatch does not know why the power is out, they are located in a basement with no windows and if your power is out, it’s likely that they’re also sitting in the dark. Dispatch needs to reserve the 911 lines for active emergencies only. They add that not being able to microwave your dinner, turn on your washing machine or complaining that your neighbor has power when you don’t… is not an emergency call.
If your power is out… DON”T CALL 911!!
