Now that summer is in full swing, many of us find ourselves outdoors, enjoying the warmer weather. Summertime brings grilling with family and friends, afternoons on the water and simply slowing down a bit to enjoy life.
But summer months also create conditions for dangerous storms, especially tornadoes across the state. These potential weather events can cause destruction to our electric system, but Roughrider Electric Cooperative crews are ready to respond should power outages occur in our area.
When major storms knock out power, our line crews take all necessary precautions before they start working on any downed lines. Members can also take steps to practice safety and preparedness during major storms and extended outages.
• Stock your pantry with a supply of nonperishable food, such as canned goods, energy bars, peanut butter, powdered milk, instant coffee, water and other essentials, such as toiletries.
• Have adequate hygiene supplies, including towelettes, soap and hand sanitizer.
• Ensure your first-aid kit is stocked with pain relievers, bandages and other medical essentials.
• Set aside basic household items you will need, including chargers, flashlights, batteries and a battery-powered radio or TV.
• Stay away from downed power lines. Always assume all wires on the ground are electrically charged. Call us to report the downed power line immediately.
• If you plan to use a portable generator as a power source, be sure you have the proper disconnects, so back feeding does not occur. The generator should also be located outside your house for proper ventilation. It is also important to follow the manufacturer’s directions for operating the generator.
• Organize emergency supplies so they are easily accessible in one location.
In the event of power interruptions or power outages, turn off major appliances, TVs, computers and other sensitive electronics. This will help reduce damage from a power surge and will also help prevent overloading the circuits during power restoration. It is helpful to leave one light on, so you will know when power is restored.
Listen to local news or a NOAA Weather Radio for storm and emergency information. Check Roughrider Electric’s Facebook page for power restoration updates and visit roughriderelectric.com to view an outage map. Outages can be reported by calling our office at 800-748-5533 or by using the SmartHub app.
Advanced planning for severe storms or other emergencies can reduce stress and anxiety caused by the weather event and can lessen the impact of the storm’s effects.
We hope we don’t experience severe storms this summer, but we can never predict Mother Nature’s plans. There is power in planning. We hope you have a safe and enjoyable summer