SWEPCO's Tips for Power Outages

SWEPCO has some tips for what to do in case of a power outage.

Here's what they say to do:

1) If it's immediately after a big storm, don't call to report outages. Only call if you need to report a safety hazard, like a down power line. In the event of wide-spread outages, SWEPCO knows where the biggest problems are.

2) Be careful with generators. Notify SWEPCO if you're using a back-up generator. When power from a generator feeds into distribution lines, it can electrocute workers who are fixing those lines or power from AEP lines can feed into the generator and start a fire in your house. The best things to do are to have an electrician install your generator and make sure your generator has a manual transfer switch to isolate it from the power grid.

3) Don't operate lanterns, heaters, or fuel-powered stoves without ventilation, and don't burn charcoal indoors because it releases carbon monoxide.

4) Turn off all appliances that were on when the outage happened, this includes your heating system. Leave one light on so you know when power is back on.

5) NEVER touch a down power line, even if it looks harmless.

For more information go to http://www.swepco.com/