Jul. 20--Weekend power outages in the Yuma area should be a reminder to residents to think ahead about what they will do in future emergencies, the Yuma Fire Department says.

While area fire departments and other agencies will always come to the rescue, their response time may be slowed, depending on extent of the disaster or emergency, says Mike Erfert, spokesman for YFD.

That's why it's a good idea for everyone to have on hand a 72-hour kit containing food, water and other essentials, he said. And, in the event of an extended power outage, Erfert added, it's also wise to make prior arrangements to be able to stay with any friends or families who have power.

"Local responders ultimately will set up things like places to go to stay cool, or even shelters if the need is there, but those are unfamiliar (surroundings)," he said. "Having your own plans in place removes the need for you to do that."

That said, Erfert added that most people seemed not to have been caught off guard by a Saturday afternoon storm that caused outages for more than 5,200 Arizona Public Service customers in Yuma.

YFD and the American Red Cross arranged for sites to be set up as accommodations for residents still without power Sunday. But no one came forward to take the agencies up on the offer.

Nor were there many disruptions stemming from an unrelated equipment failure at the Yucca Power Plant that left about 14,000 APS customers without power for several hours Sunday night, Erfert said.

"All in all, we received very few calls from people in need of assistance," Erfert said. "What that tells us is people had made their own plans."

Planning for emergencies is a timely subject, Erfert said, given that summer monsoon storms cause periodic outages and flooding in the Yuma area.

When putting together emergency kits, residents should pack enough food, water and other supplies to sustain them for up to 72 hours, he said. That's because in the wake of the most extreme disasters, it may take rescuers and public assistance agencies up to three days to reach victims and begin dispensing aid.

Erfert recommends the public refer to the Website ready.gov for a list of items that should be standard in any emergency kit. Beyond that, people should consider their own and their families' specific needs and modify the kits accordingly.

For example, medications may need to be part of the kit, depending on a person's specific health conditions or medical needs.