SALT LAKE CITY – Storms and high winds occasionally cause weather related power outages, and Rocky Mountain Power encourages its customers to take precautions before the next storm arrives to ease the inconvenience of outages and assist crews in restoring power. The electric utility, which serves customers in Utah, Wyoming and Idaho, also reminds everyone to report and stay far away from any downed power lines to ensure safety.

"We work hard to avoid power outages, but when bad weather strikes and outages occur, we work even harder to restore power quickly and safely," said Mike Felice, safety director for Rocky Mountain Power. "Just as our crews are prepared to respond to outages, we ask our customers to be prepared as well to help ensure their families’ safety and well-being."

Assemble a preparedness kit to help in the event of any kind of emergency, including the following items:

• A flashlight;
• non-perishable foods;
• a manual can opener;
• bottled water;
• blankets;
• a battery-operated radio and clock; and
• extra batteries.

During a power outage:

• First check fuses and circuit breakers. If the power failure is not caused inside the home or business, customers should call and report the outage to Rocky Mountain Power at 1-877-LITES OUT (1-877-548-3768).
• As much as possible, do not open refrigerators and freezers – they will keep food and perishables inside cold for a longer period of 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.
• Never use kerosene or propane heaters inside without proper ventilation. They create dangerous fumes. Also, don’t ever use charcoal in your house or garage.
• 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 line crews.
• Protect your pipes during freezing weather by wrapping them with insulation. Also, leave faucets dripping so water won’t freeze and crack the pipes.
• Turn on your porch light when power is back in service. After crews complete repairs, they patrol the area of the power failure to see if lights are on.

Power lines carry high voltage electricity that can cause serious injury or death if contacted. Winter storms and accidents occasionally cause downed power lines, presenting a potentially dangerous situation for anyone in the area.

"Safety around power lines is always important, but it’s even more critical when lines have fallen on the ground or on objects," said Felice. "Staying away from downed power lines, acting quickly to keep others out of the area, and immediately notifying Rocky Mountain Power or emergency responders can prevent serious injury and save lives."

If you see a downed power line:

• Stay far away from all downed power lines and utility lines. Even if the lines are not sparking, they could be electrified and extremely dangerous.
• Keep others, including pets, away and report the downed line to Rocky Mountain Power at 1-888-221-7070.
• Never touch a person or object that is touching a power line. Call 911 immediately if someone is in contact with a live power line or has been injured by electrical contact.
• Don’t drive over downed power lines.
• If a power line falls across your car while you are in it, stay inside and wait for emergency personnel to cut the power. Warn others to stay away from the vehicle.
• If your car is on fire and you must exit, jump - with both feet together - as far from the car as possible. Do not touch the car and the ground at the same time! Land with both feet still together and hop or shuffle with both feet touching until you are a safe distance away (at least 30 feet).

For more electrical safety information, visit www.rockymtnpower.net or call 1-800-375-7085.

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