With up to 14 inches of snowfall possible in Maryland, officials warn power outages are likely.

Winter Storm Fern could bring Maryland’s largest snowfall in a decade. The Baltimore region alone could see 11-13 inches of snow. Ice accumulation poses the threat of power outages, representatives of Baltimore Gas and Electric said at a news conference Friday.

[Live updates: Winter Storm Fern hits Maryland]

The utility has staffed up with more than 100 additional contractors to address outages. Users can sign up for BGE alerts on power outages here.

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If you lose power during the storm, which is set to last from Saturday evening to Monday, here’s what you need to have and do to keep yourself, your family and your home appliances and electronics safe.

What you need

Get ready to head back to the store. Here are items BGE officials say you need in case you lose power:

  • Batteries
  • Battery-operated clock radio
  • Blankets
  • Cash
  • First-aid kits (for car and home)
  • Flashlights
  • Fully charged personal electronics
  • Nonperishable food and pet food
  • Water

How to protect you, your family, your food and your electronics

Now that you have everything you need to weather an extended power outage, here are do’s and don’ts from BGE.

Protect yourself and family

  • Do not risk starting a fire by lighting candles.
  • Do not use a generator inside your home or in an attached garage to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning. Use generators outside and only in dry areas away from your home.
  • Do not use a stove for heating and risk carbon monoxide fumes building in your home.
  • Steer clear of fallen or low-hanging wires.

Protect your food

  • Keep your refrigerator and freezer closed as much as possible.
  • Freeze containers of water to preserve food longer.
  • Buy nonperishable food.

Protect your appliances and electronics

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  • Turn off and unplug electronics.
  • Turn off all appliances to avoid overloading circuits when the power returns.
  • Leave a light on so you’ll know when power is restored.

The Banner’s Emily Opilo contributed to this reporting.