It pays to be prepared for storms. Storms can surprise us with their severity, and you don't want to be caught without essential supplies, or be rushed to prepare at the last minute.

Edmond Electric strives on having a 99.98% reliability rating during outages. However, inclement weather events, such as an ice storm, can delay our response times. We will diligently work to restore all power in a safe, timely manner. In the interim, below are some tips for our customers.

• To get the latest updates on outages, be sure to follow the City of Edmond on Facebook and Twitter.
• During a major outage, our initial priority for restoring power consists of hospitals, public safety facilities (Police & Fire Departments) and water and wastewater treatment facilities. When these critical loads are restored, we look for areas where the most customers are affected and power can be restored quickly. This process of reducing the number of customers affected continues until all power is restored.
• Always keep a battery-powered radio or TV, flashlights, and a supply of fresh batteries. You should also have water, blankets and non-perishable food.
• When the power goes out, it often comes back in spikes. This can damage electronics. Keep your electronics safe by unplugging them when the power goes out. Leave one lamp or switch on as a signal for when your power returns.
• To prevent water pipes from freezing, keep faucets turned on slightly so that water drips from the tap. Know how to shut off water valves case a pipe bursts.
• If you live with a child or elderly person, you may need to take them somewhere with power so they can stay warm.
• If anyone in your household has special medical needs where they rely on power for oxygen, dialysis, etc. please make plans ahead of time to go somewhere there will be power.
• Freeze plastic containers filled with water to make blocks of ice that can be placed in your refrigerator/freezer during a lengthy outage to prevent foods from spoiling.

Safety Tips

• Report your outage by calling 405-216-7660 and remember to stay away from downed power lines. The line doesn’t need to be sparking/arcing to be energized. Assume all low hanging or downed lines are energized and dangerous.
• Downed power lines can also energize other items they are touching. For example, if a power line is laying across a chain link fence, that fence would become energized and could cause harm if touched.
• When the power is out, unplug or turn off all electric appliances to avoid overloading circuits and causing fire hazards when power is restored.
• If you use a portable generator during outages, please remember that connecting a portable electric generator directly to your household wiring can be deadly to you and others. A generator that is directly connected to your home's wiring can 'back feed' onto the power lines connected to your home and injure neighbors or utility workers. Do not connect your generator directly to your home's wiring or into a regular household outlet. Use the proper power cords. Plug individual appliances into the generator using heavy-duty, outdoor-rated cords with a wire gauge adequate for the appliance load. Make sure the cords have a grounded, three-pronged plug and are in good condition.

Sources: Safe Electricity, Generac Power Systems