Be Prepared for Outages
A number of circumstances can cause power interruptions, and damage from severe weather can cause outages that last for days. Making plans now can make riding out a prolonged power outage safer and more comfortable.
NEVER go near downed power lines
- A downed power line can still be energized and can cause other things around it to become potentially hazardous. A fence or guardrail touching a downed line can be energized for several thousand yards and it poses a threat to anyone coming into contact with it.
- Stay away from puddles of water that could be in contact with downed lines. Encountering these can be as hazardous as coming into contact with the downed power line itself.
- If you are driving and come upon a downed power line, stay in your vehicle, warn others to stay away and call 911.
- Also when driving, be careful at intersections where traffic lights may be out. Stop at all railroad crossings and treat road intersections with traffic signals as four-way stops before proceeding with caution.