Omaha Public Power District crews are preparing for this weekend's winter storm that will bring ice, snow and very strong winds to the metro area and the possibility of power outages.
"We will have extra troubleshooters and repair crews working this weekend, and additional support on standby to come in if needed," spokesperson Jodi Baker says. "Our crews are readying their vehicles, making sure they’re serviced and gassed up and they’re going over safety procedures."
Baker says crews also have extra layers of clothing for warmth while working in cold weather. Safety is a top priority, for the public and our workers. They are reminded of the need to be aware of and adjust to slippery conditions on the roads and underfoot.
OPPD has these tips for customers on preparing for the storm:
- Make sure OPPD has accurate contact phone number(s) for you, so we can reach you to provide outage updates, or in case we need to notify you that crews need to take an emergency outage for repair work. Please call customer care at 1-800-536-4131 to update your information if it has changed.
- Please take time to clear snow away from any electrical equipment on your property so that our crews can access them to make repairs if necessary.
- ·Ensure you have flashlights with extra batteries in a location that’s easy for you to find in the dark.
- ·Charge all cellular phones, tablets and laptops ahead of inclement weather.
- ·If you have a garage door opener, ensure you know how to open the door manually, ahead of time, so you can get your vehicle out.
- ·Download the free OPPDConnect app for easy outage reporting. Also keep OPPD’s outage reporting phone number handy, 1-800-554-OPPD (6773).
Baker says if your power does go out, keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed for the duration of the outage. Food can usually keep up to at least four hours as long as those doors stay shut. Full refrigerators and freezers stay the coldest.
Visit stormandoutage.com for more safety tips and outage updates, as may be warranted.