Flathead Electric Co-op urges members to prepare for historic cold weather

Officials are urging people in northwest Montana to be prepared for this week’s potentially historic cold temperatures.

According to the National Weather Service, a winter storm warning is in effect through Wednesday and the region could see overnight low temperatures between minus-12 on Tuesday and minus-31 on Wednesday with windchill values down to minus-33. Thursday’s high is forecast at minus-8.

In a news release, the Flathead Electric Co-op wants to alert folks that while the weather is not expected to cause power outages on their accord, there are other factors that are always a threat to power supply, such as motor vehicle accidents.

When cold weather outages do occur, restoring power can be a much lengthier and more challenging process. With these facts in mind, Flathead Electric Cooperative urges members to ensure that they are as prepared as possible in the event of power loss during life-threatening cold temperatures. Resources are available at flatheadelectric.com/outage.

“Being prepared doesn’t happen by accident,” says Katie Pfennigs, FEC Community Relations Manager. “While our crews are out every day maintaining our system to prevent outages, there are events, such as winter storms and car-versus-pole accidents, that are out of our control. Outages do happen, and we want our members to have a plan that will keep them warm and safe if their power goes out.”

FEC takes communication during power outages very seriously. “Our goal is to get you relevant information about your power outage as soon as we know it,” says Pfennigs. “This can be very challenging because there are so many unknown factors during power outages, but we do our best.”

The Co-op has several resources members can use to get outage information. FEC’s dispatch center is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week to respond to power outages. Members can report that their power is out by calling 406-751-4449.

Additional information about current power outages is typically available on the Co-op’s website, which is fully optimized for mobile device use. Choose the “Outage Center.” From there, look at the Outage map to determine if an outage has already been reported to the Co-op or if there is additional information available about the outage.

Folks can typically sign up for text message updates about the outage status and estimated time of restoration as well.

The Co-op also reminds people that when large outages occur, sometimes the outage map is not updated in real time because the Co-op’s dispatchers are focused on prioritizing emergency situations. In these cases, the Co-op’s communication team will post updates on our website and social media channels as they are available. Heading straight to the Co-op’s home page is always the best practice if members have questions about an outage.

Here are a few outage preparation tips:

Make sure you have an alternate heat source, and keep it properly prepared, i.e., source and properly store kerosene for your heater; candles; and wood, gas, or pellets for stoves.

Stock up on water! Whether you buy it bottled or do it yourself, keep in mind that electric water pumps don’t work when the power is out. Store your water supply where it won’t freeze.

Lay in extra food supplies, too, and remember infant formula and pet food if you have actual babies or fur babies in your life.

Charge up your devices, and put your flashlights, batteries, power banks, lanterns and radios in an easy-to-access location.

Top off your gas tank. Most gas stations rely on electricity to operate their pumps, and you might need to use your vehicle as a charging or warming station in an emergency.

Prep your home for cold temperatures. Seal drafts, insulate pipes, and install carbon monoxide detectors with battery backups on every level of your home.