Preparing for power outages

CEMC is proud to keep the lights on 99.96% of the time for our service area, but things happen. High winds can cause tree limbs to fall on power lines. Squirrels, birds, snakes and other animals can inadvertently contact power lines, causing short circuits and disruptions to electrical supply. Vehicles can crash into utility poles, bringing down power lines, or even construction work can result in disruptions to underground lines. Occasionally, we plan outages to perform upgrades or repairs to parts of the local grid, but don’t worry — we will inform you of scheduled maintenance.

Regardless of the cause of the power outage, we want our members to be prepared. Here are three things you can do ahead of time to keep you and your household safe while the electricity is off.

Create an emergency kit. Find a sturdy bag or durable container and make this your emergency kit. Fill it with a first-aid kit, bottled water for the whole family, non-perishable food, flashlights and extra batteries, a portable phone charger, a battery-powered radio, blankets, warm clothing and any necessary medications. Also, be sure that everyone in the house knows where this emergency kit is located and who is in charge of grabbing it if need be.

Keep devices charged. When you know severe weather is in the forecast, keep your cell phones, laptops and any other necessary devices charged.

Register for alerts. Sign up for outage alerts via our website, SmartHub app or text message service. Also, be sure to follow us on social media for real-time updates.

As always, CEMC is committed to restoring power as quickly and safely as possible. Thank you for your patience during outages.