Precautions Necessary During Winter Storm Season

In the Northwest, heavy winter storms can wreck havoc on electrical systems. Trees are especially prone to being blown over by winds after heavy rains have saturated the ground.

Oregonians need to be prepared for tough winter conditions.

(PORTLAND, Ore.) - With storm season upon us, Pacific Power is reminding its customers and the public to take precautions.

"We work hard to avoid outages, but when bad weather strikes and outages happen, we work even harder to get the power back on quickly and safely," said Bill Eaquinto, vice president, operations. "In anticipation of the wind and rain, we've already staged crews to assist in potentially hard-hit areas. Just as our crews are prepared to respond to outages, we ask our customers to be prepared as well and help us keep their safety and well-being the top priority."

In the Northwest, heavy winter storms can wreck havoc on electrical systems. The most common culprits are trees and tree limbs that fall into power lines during high winds, or when weighted down with wet snow and ice. Trees are especially prone to being blown over by winds after heavy rains have saturated the ground.

Ideally, any trees near a power line are trimmed so that they are unlikely to harm the line should the tree be damaged. Every home should have an emergency kit that includes the following:

• Flashlight
• Battery-operated radio and clock
• Extra batteries
• Non-perishable foods
• Manual can opener
• Bottled water
• Blankets

To ease the inconvenience of power outages and assist crews in restoring power, Pacific Power suggests the following tips and safety precautions:

• Stay away from all downed power lines and utility lines. Even if the lines are not sparking, they could be energized and extremely dangerous.
• Call and report the outage to Pacific Power at 1-877-LITES OUT (1-877-548-3768).
• Candles should never be left unattended or used for extended periods. Use a flashlight or other battery-powered lighting source.
• Use a fireplace or wood stove to keep warm. Pay careful attention to fire hazards.
• Never use kerosene or propane heaters inside without proper ventilation. They create dangerous fumes. Also, don't use charcoal in your house or garage.
• Never use a barbecue grill indoors. Cook over sterno cans.
• Don't drive over downed power lines.
• Turn on your porch light switch. After crews complete repairs, they patrol the area of the power failure to see if lights are on.
• As much as possible, do not open refrigerators and freezers—they will keep food and perishables inside cold for some time if not opened.
• Preserve body heat by wearing multiple layers of clothing. Add a hat and blanket to stay warm. Blankets and towels around windows and doors help keep the heat in.
• Check on your neighbors, especially those who may need special assistance. Also, check with others who have electricity, to see if you can visit.
• Protect your pipes during freezing weather by wrapping them with insulation. Also, leave faucets dripping so water won't freeze and crack the pipes.
• Generators should be outside or in a well ventilated unoccupied space
• Make sure generators are properly wired for your home or business, and don't connect a generator directly to your home's main fuse box or circuit panel. This can create a dangerous backfeed hazard for lines crews.

Pacific Power also thanks customers in advance for being patient during an outage and reminds people that the utility makes every attempt to keep outages at a minimum and to restore power safely and quickly.
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