Power outages spread across southern New England on Saturday as a rare September nor'easter moved in, and state officials are urging families to keep portable generators outside and away from the house. As of 10:30 a.m. Saturday, the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency's (MEMA) outage tracker showed 7,488 outages, Boston 25 News reported, and a high wind warning covered the entire Massachusetts coastline. Rhode Island's state fire marshal issued a separate generator warning before the storm arrived.
The greatest health threat may come after the lights go out. Carbon monoxide from a generator running in a garage, in a basement, or near an open window has no color or smell, and it can sicken everyone in a home before anyone recognizes the danger. The National Weather Service expects rain and gusty winds to continue into Monday.
Forecast Gusts and Leafy Trees Raise the Risk of Outages
The National Weather Service's Boston/Norton office forecast 2 to 6 inches of rain for eastern Massachusetts over the weekend, according to Gov. Maura Healey's office. Sustained winds of 30 to 40 mph were expected across central and eastern Massachusetts, with gusts up to 60 mph on the coast. These figures are forecasts, and actual totals will vary from town to town.
In Rhode Island, forecasters expected 1.5 to 3 inches of rain in Providence and gusts of 50 to 60 mph, strongest along Narragansett Bay, the southern coast, and Block Island, the Rhode Island Current reported. Rhode Island Energy President Greg Cornett said crews cannot work out of their trucks when sustained winds top 35 mph, which can slow repairs while the storm is still blowing.
Trees that still have their leaves catch more wind, which makes falling limbs more likely. Eversource spokesperson Olessa Stepanova told The Boston Globe that trees cause more than 90% of the utility's storm outages. "We're treating this as a potentially significant wind event, and we're preparing accordingly," she said. Nor'easters typically hit the region from November through March, according to the Globe.
More than 70,000 customers were without power across the Northeast on Saturday, the Associated Press reported. In Rhode Island, the McKee administration said several Providence shelters would stay open 24 hours a day through the weekend, with no referral needed. Residents without heat, light, or a safe place to charge devices can use those sites instead of running equipment indoors.
Where a Portable Generator Should Go
Massachusetts officials advise running a generator outdoors only, never inside the home or in an attached garage, with the exhaust pointed away from doors and windows. They also recommend letting it cool before refueling, using only outdoor-rated extension cords, and testing smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. The CDC advises keeping generators more than 20 feet away from windows, doors, and vents, and warns that open doors and windows do not make indoor use safe.
Rhode Island State Fire Marshal Timothy P. McLaughlin said, "Portable generators emit carbon monoxide, a toxic and deadly gas that is impossible to detect without proper equipment since it is colorless and odorless." That makes a battery-powered or battery-backup alarm especially important during an outage, since plug-in detectors without a backup battery stop working when the power fails. The CDC also warns never to use portable gas camp stoves or burn charcoal indoors.
Massachusetts has required carbon monoxide alarms since 2006 in homes with fuel-burning equipment or enclosed parking, under a state law known as Nicole's Law. Renters who find a missing or dead alarm should tell their landlord now rather than after the power goes out. A battery-operated alarm near sleeping areas can serve as a stopgap.
Warning Signs, Higher-Risk Neighbors, and When to Call 911
The CDC lists headache, dizziness, weakness, upset stomach, vomiting, chest pain, and confusion as the most common symptoms, which are often described as flu-like. People who are sleeping or have been drinking can die from carbon monoxide poisoning before they have symptoms. If several people in the same home feel sick at once while a generator is running, carbon monoxide is a more likely cause than a virus.
Anyone who suspects exposure should get everyone outside to fresh air right away and call 911 from outdoors. Fainting, chest pain, or confusion requires emergency care. People with milder symptoms after a possible exposure can call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 for guidance.
Infants, older adults, and people with chronic heart disease, anemia, or breathing problems are more likely to become sick, according to the CDC. Each year, unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning not linked to fires kills more than 400 Americans, sends more than 100,000 to emergency departments, and leads to more than 14,000 hospitalizations. MEMA Director Dawn Brantley urged residents to "check on neighbors, especially older adults and anyone who has a disability."
Families who rely on oxygen concentrators or other powered medical equipment face the hardest choices when outages drag on. Massachusetts officials advise keeping extra batteries for medical equipment and assistive devices. Contacting the utility and the equipment supplier before batteries run low is safer than improvising power indoors.
Downed wires should always be treated as live and reported to 911 or the utility. The risk of carbon monoxide poisoning can remain high in the hours and days after the wind dies down, when tired households may be tempted to move a generator closer to the door.
Key Questions Answered
Is the nor'easter causing power outages now?
Yes. MEMA's tracker showed 7,488 outages in Massachusetts at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, and the Associated Press reported more than 70,000 customers without power across the Northeast that day.
Where should a portable generator go?
Outdoors only, more than 20 feet from windows, doors, and vents, with the exhaust aimed away from the home. Never run one in a house, basement, or attached garage, even with doors and windows open.
What are the early signs of carbon monoxide poisoning?
Headache, dizziness, weakness, upset stomach, vomiting, chest pain, and confusion. Symptoms can resemble the flu, especially when several people in a home feel ill at once.
Who faces the highest risk?
Infants, older adults, and people with chronic heart disease, anemia, or breathing problems. People who are asleep or intoxicated may die before they notice any symptoms.
What should I do if a carbon monoxide alarm sounds?
Get everyone outside immediately and call 911 from outdoors. Do not go back inside until emergency responders say it is safe.
Published by Medicaldaily.com
