Summer Storm Safety
Summer storm season is here, and with it comes heavy rain, wind, and lightning that can cause unexpected outages. We have some helpful tips to ensure that your family, home, and business are prepared.
While the EQUS team conducts regular preventative maintenance on our distribution system to reduce outages, we can’t prevent those caused by the wild weather we experience sometimes in rural Alberta. EQUS crews work fast to restore power to all our members, but there are a few simple things you can do to ensure your family is ready in the event of a summer outage:
- Keep a small emergency kit handy with flashlights and extra batteries.
- Keep cell phone battery banks charged to ensure you can receive Emergency Alerts if they are issued, and call for help if needed.
- Visit our website to check to live outage map, and report your outage through our simple online form.
- Ensure valuable electronics are connected to surge protectors, and consider turning off appliances at the breaker to prevent overloading the system in the first 15 minutes after power is restored.
- Try not to open your fridge or freezer unless absolutely necessary. Food can stay frozen for 24 hours if the freezer stays shut.
- Stay clear of downed wires and any trees or other objects that may be touching any wires. You can’t tell if a wire is live just by looking at it. Stay as far away as possible and call us at 310.EQUS(3787), or call 911 in an emergency.
Members are free to purchase electricity services from a retailer of their choice. For a list of retailers, visit http://www.ucahelps.alberta.ca or call 310.4822 (toll free in Alberta).