Forecasters are calling for a stormy winter, which increases the chance of power outages.  To prepare for storms, outages or natural disasters, take these steps:

• Put fresh batteries in your flashlight, and keep it someplace where you will be able to find it in the dark.
• Restock your emergency kit with a 3-day supply of water and canned or packaged foods that don't require cooking. Visit www.redcrosspdx.org for information on other items to include in your kit.
• Know how to operate your garage door manually.  Electric garage door openers don't work when the power is off.
• Cordless phones don't work when the power is off.  If you don't have a cell phone, have a corded phone at your home to use to report outages.
• Customers with special medical needs should have a back-up plan that includes extra medication and supplies, alternate housing plans or emergency standby generation.

1. Call (503) 397-1844 to report your outage.
2. Stay away from downed lines.  Call us to report them.
3. Leave a porch light on.  It helps us diagnose outages.

YOU CANNOT TELL by looking at a downed line whether it is energized or not.  Be safe and stay away!

• Call (503) 397-1844 immediately to report downed lines.
• Never touch a downed line. Always assume that downed lines are energized and dangerous.
• Stay at least 50 feet away from any downed line.  The ground around a downed line can be energized as well, making it very dangerous.
• Never touch trees or limbs that are touching power lines.
• Never drive over a downed line, or under a line that is sagging over the roadway.
• Don't touch cars, debris or fallen branches near downed lines.  Anything touching a downed line is just as dangerous as the line itself.
• If a power line falls on your car, stay inside and wait for emergency personnel.  Only exit the car if it is on fire or in danger of catching fire.  To exit safely, open the door and without touching the ground, jump away from the car.  To avoid electrical shock, do not touch the car and the ground at the same time.  Land with your feet together and shuffle away from the car.

Sometimes when your lights go out, the problem is a tripped breaker or blown fuse in your home, not something on our distribution system.  You can tell whether or not it's an outage by looking at your electric meter.  If there are numbers in the meter's display, you have power.  If not, please call us to report your outage.