Ameren Illinois Utilities Ready for Winter Storm, Urge Customers to Make Storm Preparations
February 21 2008 - 8:03PM
PR Newswire (US)
PEORIA, Ill., Feb. 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- With the chance of
snow, sleet and ice accumulations forecasted for portions of
Southern and Central Illinois, the Ameren Illinois Utilities have
placed their personnel on alert and are advising customers to ready
themselves for the possibility of power outages. "Safety is our
first and foremost concern when severe storms strike," said Ron
Pate, vice president of Regional Operations for the Ameren Illinois
Utilities (AmerenCILCO, AmerenCIPS and AmerenIP). "The most
important safety rule is to stay clear of downed power lines and
always call your Ameren Illinois Utility or '911' if you see downed
lines. Assume all downed power lines are energized. Stay inside,
especially at night because you may walk into an energized power
line. Stay clear of brush, shrubs and downed trees that may hide
downed lines," Pate said. In anticipation of severe winter weather,
the Ameren Illinois Utilities have placed special Ameren Storm
Trailers in Belleville and Marion. These trailers are filled with
materials field crews need to perform their service restoration
work. The trailers can be moved to various staging sites to provide
materials when outside crews come in to help with the restoration
efforts and to provide a store of materials close to the area with
the most damage. The utilities also have placed personnel on alert,
activated "war rooms" where restoration efforts are directed and
are positioning key resources so they will be available if needed.
If severe weather begins to cause damage to the Ameren Illinois
Utility system, we will activate our Ameren Emergency Operations
Center strategically located in Decatur. The measures customers
should take to prepare for a power outage or loss of natural gas
service are similar to those needed to prepare for any emergency
situation. Here are some tips on dealing with winter storms: --
Because most major outages are caused by bad weather, start by
developing shelter plans for severe storm conditions. -- If any
member of your family has a medical condition, plan and make
arrangements to have that person's special needs met in the event
electricity is not available for an extended period of time during
a storm. -- Assemble a "storm kit" and store it in a secure,
centrally located part of your house. Make sure all family members
know where to find that kit. It should contain: -- Emergency
telephone numbers; flashlights and fresh batteries (avoid using
candles, lanterns or oil lamps due to the fire risk); extra garage
and house keys; a battery-powered radio; a battery-powered or
wind-up alarm clock; a supply of bottled water (one gallon per
person per day); non-perishable foods that don't require heating;
blankets, bedding or sleeping bags; a first-aid kit and
medications; a hand-operated can opener; special items for infants
or family members with special needs; hand tools, such as a
screwdriver, scissors and duct tape; household items like plastic
utensils, paper plates, waterproof matches and household bleach;
identification and copies of important family documents. -- If your
electric service is interrupted, be sure to unplug or protect
sensitive computer and electronic equipment with a high-quality
surge protector. -- When severe weather is predicted, make certain
your cell phone is fully charged. Also, remember that cordless
landline telephones will not function in the event of a power
outage. -- If your power goes out, check first with a neighbor to
see if you are the only one without power. If you are the only one
without service, check your panel box for a tripped circuit breaker
or blown fuse. If any breakers are in the "off" position or if a
fuse is blown, you should investigate the problem. If you are still
without power, or if others in your neighborhood are experiencing a
power outage, call your Ameren Illinois utility at any time, 24
hours a day, seven days a week -- and always call as soon as
possible to report a downed line or natural gas odor! The Ameren
Illinois Utility numbers are 888-672-5252 (AmerenCILCO),
888-789-2477 (AmerenCIPS) and 800-755-7000 (AmerenIP). A full
description of the Ameren Illinois Utilities' restoration process
and tips on how customers can prepare for service disruptions is
available on the Ameren Web site at http://www.ameren.com/ (select
"Outage Information" from the left-hand menu, select Ameren
Illinois Outage Information and then select "Ameren's Storm
Response" from the left-hand menu). Customers can learn more about
power outage situations by selecting "Outage Information" and then
such menu options as the "Outage Map" and "My Electric Outage." The
Ameren Illinois Utilities' serve 1.2 million electric and more than
840,000 natural gas customers in a 43,700-square-mile area of
Illinois. DATASOURCE: Ameren Illinois Utilities CONTACT: Leigh
Morris, +1-217-535-5228, or Neal Johnson, +1-309-677-5284, both for
Ameren Illinois Utilities Web site: http://www.ameren.com/
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