CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) – Although Hurricane Idalia is hundreds of miles away from us and will have zero impact here at home, it’s always a good idea to know what to do during a power outage.

Generators are popular to help keep the lights on, but it can also be dangerous if you don’t know how to use them properly. Bob Jennings, the owner of RJ’s Outdoor Power in Chicopee told 22News, that the exhaust should be directed away from the house by 20 feet due to carbon monoxide.

The three types of generators are portable, permanent, and inverter, but Jennings warns to use caution when handling portable ones. “The portable ones it is a little bit more common for people to forget to turn off their main breaker, which will back feed the grid and hurt the electrical repair men, so it’s important the main breaker is shut off,” said Jennings.

He also says to make sure your oil is filled up before a storm hits and to not fill up with gas when it’s running.

Kayleigh Thomas is a digital reporter who has been a part of the 22News team since 2022. Follow Kayleigh on Twitter @kayleighcthomas and view her bio to see more of her work.