With the arrival of winter weather, Idaho Power offers these important reminders to help customers remain safe and prepared for outages.

Stay clear of downed power lines:
Falling trees, heavy snow and car accidents can occasionally knock power lines to the ground. Always assume any downed line is energized and dangerous. Stay clear, keep others away and immediately call 911 or Idaho Power at 208-388-2323 in the Treasure Valley or 1-800-488-6151. Learn more about what to do if a power line falls on your vehicle on Idaho Power’s website.

Prepare your home for an outage:
The average Idaho Power customer is without power for fewer than two hours a year. But sometimes, like in the case of extreme winter weather, outages can last for hours or even days.

• Sign up to receive alerts of outages at your residence through your Idaho Power My Account.
• Learn how to manually open security gates and garage doors.
• Maintain an emergency kit with water, essential medicines and food that needs no cooking or refrigeration. Also prepare a winter emergency kit for your car.

If your power goes out:

• Check our online Outage Map or call 1-800-488-6151 to view or report outages.
• For safety reasons, use battery-powered flashlights or lanterns rather than candles.
• To protect your appliances, turn off any that were in use when the power went out, especially electric ranges and space heaters to prevent the possibility of a fire if you’re away when power is restored.
• Avoid opening refrigerator and freezer doors to keep food cold longer, and keep a large block of ice in the freezer.
• If using a generator, follow all manufacturer’s directions and use heavy-duty, outdoor-rated cords to connect appliances.

Visit idahopower.com/outagetips for more preparedness tips.

Maria Willacy
Communications Specialist
mwillacy@idahopower.com
208-388-5978