Outage Safety Tips

If your power is out, call WEC's 24-hour toll-free OUTAGE HOTLINE at 1-888-4-MY-OUTAGE (1-888-469-6882)

Remember, safety comes first. Stay away from downed power lines and broken utility poles. Do not attempt to remove trees or limbs from lines. Notify Wiregrass Electric immediately of downed lines or broken poles and prevent others from coming in contact with them. Even lines that look harmless can be very dangerous. Make sure your children understand the danger of downed power lines.

While the electricity is off:

Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed. Food should keep for up to 48 hours in a freezer, if the door remains closed. If the outage persists, cover your refrigerator or freezer with a blanket, make arrangements to store food at another location, or purchase dry ice.
Turn off all electrical appliances that were on when the power went off, especially heat pumps, air conditioners, or electric heat. You many want to leave a light on so you will know when power is restored.

Prepare Ahead

Keep the following items handy in a water-proof bag to help you and your family cope with an outage. Also make sure each family member knows where this kit is located and what to do if an outage occurs.

Flashlight with fresh batteries
Matches
Candles
Spare fuses
Portable radio with fresh batteries
Backup heat source (if winter)

Back-Up Generator Warning

If you use a back-up generator to provide electricity for your home, farming operation, or other business, you could injure or kill a utility worker who is working on the line if it is not installed properly. Contact Wiregrass Electric for assistance in installing and operating back-up generators.