August 2023 Light Reading

LightReading

How to prepare for summer storms

Summer is in full swing and like many of you, we welcome more opportunities to be outdoors and enjoy the warmer weather. Summertime brings many of our favorite activities like cooking outdoors with family and friends, afternoons on the water and simply slowing down a bit to enjoy life. However, summer months can also make conditions right for dangerous storms. These potential weather events can cause destruction to our electrical system, but we want you to know that Inland Power crews are ready and standing by to respond should a power outage occur in our area.

When major storms knock out power, our line crews take all necessary precautions before they get to work on any downed lines. We would encourage you to also practice safety and preparedness to protect your family during major storms and outages. The Federal Emergency Management Agency recommends the following items below as a starting point for storm and disaster preparedness, but you can visit www.ready. gov for additional resources.

• Stock your pantry with a three-day supply of non-perishable food, such as canned goods, energy bars, peanut

butter, powdered milk, instant coffee, water and other essentials (i.e., diapers and toiletries). Confirm that you have adequate sanitation and hygiene supplies including towelettes, soap and hand sanitizer.

• Ensure your First Aid kit is stocked with pain relievers, bandages and other medical essentials, and make sure your prescriptions are current.

• Set aside basic household items you will need, including flashlights, batteries, a manual can opener.

• Organize emergency supplies so they are easily accessible in one location.

In the event of a prolonged power outage, turn off major appliances, TVs, computers and other sensitive electronics. This will help avert damage from a power surge, and will also help prevent overloading the circuits during power restoration. That said, do leave one light on so you will know when power is restored. If you plan to use a small generator, make sure it is rated to handle the amount of power you will need, and always review the manufacturer’s instructions to operate it safely.

Listen to local news or a NOAA Weather Radio for storm and emergency information, and check inlandpower.com/outages-emergencies for power restoration updates.

After the storm, avoid downed power lines and walking through flooded areas where power lines could be submerged. Allow ample room for utility crews to safely perform their jobs, including on your property.

Advance planning for severe storms or other emergencies can reduce stress and anxiety caused by the weather event and can lessen the impact of the storm’s effects. Sign up for NOAA emergency alerts and warnings and download our SmartHub app to stay abreast of power restoration efforts and other important information.

We hope we don’t experience severe storms this summer, but we can never predict Mother Nature’s plans. At Inland Power we recommend that you act today because there is power in planning.

Five tips for hiring an electrician

Alicensed electrician can help with a variety of home projects from lighting upgrades to full renovations. Keep the following tips in mind if you’re looking to hire an electrician.

1. Hire a licensed, qualified electrician for the job. Look for a master electrician to manage the project. Master electricians have the most experience and will often oversee the work of a journey-level electrician or apprentice.

2. Make sure the electrician is insured. Seasoned electricians know the importance of protecting themselves in case of an accident.

3. Read all the reviews. Hire an electrician that has several positive reviews – not just one or two. Read reviews on different sites, like Nextdoor, Yelp and HomeAdvisor,

and consider asking your neighbors for recommendations.

4. Determine your budget. Get two quotes. Knowing your budget upfront helps move the process along. Prices can greatly vary, so get multiple quotes.

5. Sensible timeline. Some electricians accidentally overbook projects. If your job is time-sensitive, convey that early on and discuss a realistic timeline with the electrician.

We are excited to hit the road this fall and show our appreciation!

Hydro is our power!

The Pacific Northwest is a very special place to live, and we are so fortunate to have an abundant power generator in our rivers. Hydropower is truly the lifeblood of our electric grid in this region. The dams provide us with clean, carbon-free power and they enable us to power our lives at very affordable rates. The Pacific Northwest receives over 85 percent of its renewable energy from hydropower and that’s why at Inland Power we continue to be an active proponent of its benefits.

The world is pushing toward electrifying the transportation industry while simultaneously removing large power generators like coal and natural gas. So, we have two choices – protect the hydroelectric system–or breach the dams and be extremely vulnerable to rolling blackouts on a regular basis. Inland Power is committed to fighting for our dams to ensure our way of an electrified life continues.

We encourage our members to get involved and help us in our mission to keep utilities affordable and protect our power supply. To find out how you can get involved,visit our Grassroots Action Team page at inlandpower.com/grassroots-action , and to learn more about hydropower, visit inlandpower.com/hydropower

Inland Power is my cooperative!

Be sure to check out our outage map for status updates during any outage at inlandpower.com/ outages-emergencies

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Support your Inland Power Community Foundation

Inland Power members have long been known for their generosity. From funding scholarships for our young members to rounding energy bills up to the nearest dollar to support those in need, the giving nature of our members is astounding. The Inland Power Community Foundation, which is governed by a volunteer committee made up of Inland Power members, was created to generate and collect charitable donations to improve the quality of life for our community through individual, family and nonprofit organization donations. The foundation provides funding for energy assistance, youth livestock support, scholarships and nonprofit organizations just to name a few. The committee reviews and discusses each application thoroughly to ensure the funds are distributed responsibly and that cooperative members receive priority.

While a great deal of support has been so graciously given, the need to support our members and communities remains. If you are able and would like to give to the community foundation, you can select one of the giving options on your monthly electric bill. There are two ways to give to the foundation. You can round up your monthly bill to the nearest dollar or give a one-time amount. To learn more about how to apply for funding or to make a donation, visit inlandpower.com/community-foundation.

At Inland Power, our mission is our members, and our members have proven that we stand together and are committed to being neighbors helping neighbors.