PORTLAND, Ore. — As the leaves turn, fall weather arrives in the Pacific Northwest. For some homeowners, this means pruning trees and taming overgrown gardens, for others it means cleaning the gutters or painting the house. Many outdoor projects like these can be hazardous if you don’t put safety first.
“Now is a great time to prune any trees that could cause trouble once the storms start coming in,” said Joe Cissna, Pacific Power safety director. “Winter storms bringing down branches is a big cause of power outages. Check around your property if any trees or branches could harm power lines if they fell. Some preventive work now could save more headaches and power outages later.”
Use caution when pruning trees. Don't use pruning tools or ladders near power lines. Always keep yourself and anything you're handling at least 10 feet away from overhead power lines. Never try to remove a branch that is tangled or lying across a power line. Instead, call us at 1-888-221-7070. We'll be happy to remove it for you.
For more safety tips or to order free Pacific Power safety materials, call toll free at 800-375-7085 or visit pacificpower.net/safety.