October is here and the weather has already displayed its ability to switch from sunny and calm to stormy and wet on short notice.
The PUD has spent the summer working on a variety of reliability projects to strengthen our grid and trimming trees in anticipation of unpredictable weather. We’ve also stocked our warehouses and prepped equipment for another storm season. We consider preparing for high winds a year-round job, and we continue to plan to the best of our abilities for their inevitable arrival.
There are several ways you can make sure you are prepared for storm season, too. The first is to build an emergency kit. There are plenty of items to pack, but make sure you have the seven essentials: water, non-perishable food, a first-aid kit, light sources, backup power, warmth and any prescription medications (for your pets too).
Other good items to have include: extra batteries, personal hygiene supplies, games and books for entertainment and enough supplies for you and your pets for three to five days. You can visit snopud.com/emergencykit to learn more, including a video featuring Zip on what to pack in your emergency kit!
It’s also important to have a backup plan in case of an extended outage. If you are dependent on electricity for medical equipment or other vital tools, our advice is to have another location to go to or a generator that can be used to ensure you remain safe.
Finally, don’t forget to sign up for outage texts! We now offer proactive outage texting to send updates straight to your phone. To sign up, log in to your MySnoPUD account (or create an account at my.snopud.com), go to “Alerts,” click the “+” and the phone icon to add your number.
Visit snopud.com/outages for a step-by-step guide on signing up for outage texts.
If you experience an outage be sure to report it to us immediately. Use outagemap.snopud.com or call 425-783-1000 to report any outages. Before, during and after a storm, we will do all we can to keep you informed. Follow us on X and Facebook and check local media for updates.
Remember to always stay at least 30 feet away from any downed power lines and call our Customer Service Representatives at 425-783-1001 if you see any safety concerns. If power lines fall on your vehicle, or you’re in any other life-threatening situation, dial 9-1-1.
Let’s all stay safe and enjoy this beautiful time of year in the Pacific Northwest!
David Krueger is a spokesperson for the Snohomish County PUD. If you have any questions about this article, or other PUD programs, you can reach out to him at dakrueger@snopud.com.
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