Power Outage Safety Tips
Stay away from power lines on the ground. Always assume downed lines are energized even if the lines are sagging or broken.
Do not sit in an idling car in the garage to get warm. Never use a camp stove or charcoal grill indoors to generate heat.
Lower the thermostat to a minimum.
Do not attempt to remove trees or limbs from lines.
Leave an outside light on so repair crews will know when power is back on.
Leave an outside light on so repair crews will know when power is back on.
Have a battery-operated radio or TV. In the case of large outages, KEC notifies the media of the status of the outage.
Have a cell phone or an inexpensive, basic phone available to make and receive calls during an outage. Many of the latest phone models do not work without power.
Car/Pole Accidents and Downed Power Lines Safety Tips
- Call KEC at (208) 765-1200 (or (877) 744-1055 after hours) to report a downed line or car accident with a KEC pole.
- Never touch or go near a downed power line. Always assume power lines are energized.
- Don’t touch anything that may be touching a downed wire, such as a car.
If your car crashes into a utility pole, your vehicle may be charged with electricity. If this is the case and you step out of the car, you will become the electricity’s path to the ground and could be electrocuted.
Make sure you:
- Stay in the car, and tell others to do the same.
- Call 911 and mention the accident involves a utility pole.
- Do not leave your vehicle until a utility professional has told you it is safe to do so.
The only circumstance under which you should exit the vehicle is if it is on fire. If necessary:
- Jump clear of the vehicle with your feet together and without touching the vehicle and ground at the same time.
- Continue to “bunny hop” with your feet together to safety. Doing this will ensure that you are only one point of contact and will not have different strengths of electric current running from one foot to another, which can be deadly.
If you come upon an accident involving power lines, do not approach the accident scene. If you see someone approaching, warn them to stay away.
Preparing for a Storm
Here’s how we prepare for storms:
- Continually monitoring the weather.
- Notifying staff to be available to work.
- Annually performing reliability improvements, including right-of-way maintenance.
Here’s what you can do before your power goes out:
- Sign up for Kootenai Electric Cooperative outage alerts by logging in to your account.
- Charge cell phones.
- Have a plan for your pets and livestock.
- If your water supply is dependent on electricity, fill your bathtub with water.
- Ensure smoke alarm batteries have been changed recently. Also, consider how an outage will affect home security systems, garage doors, and sprinkler systems.
Assemble an emergency storm kit containing:
- Flashlights and fresh batteries.
- Battery-powered radio or TV and extra batteries.
- Bottled water (1 gallon per person per day).
- Nonperishable foods.
- Blankets, bedding, or sleeping bags.
- First-aid kit and prescription medications.
- Hand-operated can opener.
- Special items for infants, the elderly, or family members with special needs.
- A variety of hand tools.
- Identification and copies of important family documents in a waterproof container.
- Cash (ATMs may be unavailable).
Remember, power outages can be reported at (877) 744-1055 or through our SmartHub app.