Spring is on our doorstep and like many of you, we are all looking forward to more opportunities to be outdoors and enjoy warmer weather. Springtime brings many favorite activities like cooking out with family and friends, time spent working in the garden and simply slowing down a bit to enjoy life. 

Unfortunately, spring and summer can also create the perfect conditions for severe storms.

Central Wisconsin Electric Cooperative (CWEC) crews are always prepared and standing by to respond should power outages occur in our area. When severe storms cause power disruptions, our line crews take all necessary precautions before they get to work on any downed lines.

We encourage you to also practice safety and preparedness to protect your family during storms and outages.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency recommends the items below as a starting point for storm and disaster preparedness, but you can visit www.ready.gov for additional resources.

• Stock your pantry with a three-day supply of non-perishable food, including canned goods, energy bars, peanut butter, powdered milk, instant coffee, water and other essentials (i.e., diapers and toiletries).
• Confirm that you have adequate sanitation and hygiene supplies including towelettes, soap and hand sanitizer.
• Ensure your First Aid kit is stocked with pain relievers, bandages and other medical essentials, and make sure your prescriptions are current.
• Set aside basic household items you will need, including flashlights, batteries, a manual can opener and portable, battery-powered radio or TV.
• Organize emergency supplies so they are easily accessible in one location.

In the event of a prolonged power outage, turn off major appliances, TVs, computers and other sensitive electronics. This will help avert damage from potential power surges and will also help prevent overloading circuits during power restoration. That said, do leave one light on so you will know when power is restored.

If you plan to use a portable generator, make sure it’s rated to handle the amount of power you will need, and always review the manufacturer’s instructions to operate it safely.  

Listen to local news or a NOAA Weather Radio for storm and emergency information, and check CWEC’s Facebook page for restoration updates.

Severe storms can occasionally bring down power lines. If you see a downed line, always assume it’s energized and never approach it. If flooding occurs, never walk through areas where power lines could be submerged.

Advance planning for severe storms or other emergencies can reduce stress and anxiety caused by the weather event and lessen the impact of the storm’s effects.

Sign up for NOAA emergency alerts and warnings and follow us on Facebook for the latest power restoration updates. If you experience an outage, please don’t report it on Facebook. Call our office at 1-800-377-2932 or 715-677-2211––this is the fastest way to let us know if your power is out.

We hope we don’t experience severe storms over the spring and summer months, but we can never predict Mother Nature’s plans. At CWEC, we recommend that you make a plan today––because storm preparedness is always our best defense.