There will be a post-wide scheduled power outage Saturday, Oct. 17 from 6 a .m. to 6 p.m.

While most facilities will be closed during the outage, some will remain open. Please see the graphic for operating hours for those facilities.

During the outage, personnel on Fort Irwin are encouraged to follow ‘best practices.’

* Turn off computers and related equipment.

* Turn off and unplug uninterruptible power supplies (UPS). Desktop UPS’ will not be able to power computers for the length of the outage. Leaving the Ups plugged in will fully drain the battery.

* Turn off and unplug electronic equipment including TVs, satellite/cable equipment, game consoles, stereos, sub-woofers, amps, cell phone chargers/wall warts, laser printers, large format printers, copiers, shredders, battery charges and other office equipment. This equipment frequently starts up when power is restored and are sensitive to voltage issues. As each circuit is restored, it can take some time for the voltage to stabilize.

* Leave refrigerator and freezer doors shut. They will last 12 hours, provided the doors remain closed. If you are concerned, ice is available at Tiefort View Elementary School on Barstow Road, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Two bags of ice per resident are available.

If you have medication that requires refrigeration, there are steps you can take to protect your meds.

* Medications requiring refrigeration should be stored at 2-8 degrees Celsius or 36-46 degrees Fahrenheit.

* Place a thermometer in the fridge prior to the outage.

* When power is restored, check the temperature inside the refrigerator to determine if medications have been exposed to higher than recommended temperatures.

* Do not store medications directly on ice.

* Again, leave the refrigerator door closed for the duration of the outage.

* If you have any questions regarding medications, contact the pharmacy at 866-957-9224, Option 4, then Option 1, Option 1