Many Arlington residents awoke Wednesday morning to widespread power outages and damage caused by a severe thunderstorm that brought heavy rain fall, hail and high winds to many portions of Tarrant and Dallas counties Tuesday night.

After surveying some of the damage, Mayor Robert Cluck asked the City of Arlington to compile information to help residents recover from the storm. The following information was gathered from many sources, including the Arlington Fire Department, Police Department and United States Department of Agriculture.

• When the power goes off, stay calm. Turn on a battery-operated radio for news updates.
• Refer to the emergency preparedness plan you have developed for your family. If you have not developed one, go to www.ci.arlington.tx.us/fire/emergencypreparedness/index.html.
• Check for blown fuses and make sure your circuit breakers are in the "on" position. Check the main breaker. Turn "off" and then turn "on" to reset.
• Avoid opening entry doors to keep cool air inside and warm air outside.
• Leave one light on as an indication when power has been restored. When power has been restored, wait a few minutes before turning on lights and appliances.
• Protect electrical equipment. Electricity from lighting can travel through the wires in your home and damage important equipment such as computers, televisions and other microprocessor-based equipment that depend on a constant voltage supply.
• Report power outage by calling your electrical provider or TXU at 1-800-233-2133 or 1-888-313-4747.

• Food will generally stay safe in a refrigerator for several hours after a power outage. If the door is kept closed, food can remain cold for four to six hours.
• Placing blocks of ice in the refrigerator can help keep the temperature low.
• Consume canned and packaged foods, fresh fruits and vegetables, cereals with canned or reconstituted powered milk; snack foods such as nuts, chips, and cookies. Consume canned and bottled beverages.
• Tap water may be safely consumed.
• Babies on formula should be given ready-to-feed formula or powdered formula prepared with bottled drinking water.

• When in doubt, throw it out. For more information about food safety, call the toll-free United States Department of Agriculture Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-800-535-4555.

Discard any perishable foods that may have been above 40 degrees for more than two hours and throw out any food that feels warm or has an unusual odor or color. A block of ice can be placed in the freezer unit of your refrigerator to keep perishable items cold until power is restored.

• Raw or cooked meat, poultry, seafood and luncheon meats
• Casseroles, stews and soups
• Milk and soft cheeses
• Homemade mayonnaise and dressings
• Cooked pasta, potatoes and rice
• Salads made with any of the foods listed above.

• Butter and margarine
• Hard or processed cheese
• Fresh fruits and vegetables
• Mustard, ketchup and olives
• Salad dressings, peanut butter, barbecue sauce
• Jams and jellies

• Homeowners are encouraged to survey damage to home and property and contact their insurance company. Homeowners are responsible for cleanup of trees and fences and other necessary repairs on their own property.
• When traveling on city streets, motorists are asked to watch for debris on roads. Traffic signal outages are prevalent in parts of the city. Motorists should proceed with caution through intersections.
• Report electrical problems to TXU and relocate temporarily to the home of a friend or family member until power in the home has been restored.
• The City reminds citizens that they are responsible for removing tree limbs and other storm debris from their property. Arlington Disposal will make pickups on their normal schedule and asks that residents follow these guidelines:

• A maximum weight of 50 lbs. per bag of debris.
• Brush must be cut in 4 foot lengths: trimmed, bundled, and stacked with large ends toward the curb. Bundles may not exceed 50 lbs.