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3:30 p.m. Friday, April 11, 2008 Power has been restored to all, except for a few isolated accounts. We appreciate the patience of those that have had to endure the lack of electricity due to the winter storm. Please call if you're out of power and stay away from downed power lines. 218-829-2827 or 1-800-648-9401.
7:30 a.m. Friday, April 11, 2008
Heavy snow and strong winds have left approximately 600 Crow Wing Power customers out of power as of 7:30 this a.m. Line crews worked throughout the night restoring power lines damaged by downed trees and heavy snow. Crow Wing Power has contracted with outside sources to insure enough manpower to continue the restoration process throughout the day. The majority of outages this a.m. are located East and West of Brainerd from Garrison to Motley and there are scattered individual outages north of Brainerd.
People are reminded to call in their locations to 829-2827 or 1-800-648-9401, stay away from downed power lines and report any dangerous situations to Crow Wing Power.
April 10, 2008 9:30 p.m. We are experiencing numerous outages due to high winds and blizzard conditions, particularly in northern Crow Wing and Cass Counties. It's unknown what predicted weather will do tonight and Friday to weak trees falling on powerlines and weather-related outages. Please prepare for power outages. Gather water and prepare for 'no heat' situations and report your outage if you can to 218-829-2827 or 1-800-648-9401 if you experience a lack of power as our outage management system will help in restoring power as quickly as possible. We apologize for inconvenience. Our crews will be working throughout the night.
Note: Please stay away from downed power lines and report such dangerous situations to Crow Wing Power as soon as possible.
April 8, 2008: power was restored to all by the evening of April 7 from the storm that hit on Sunday afternoon.
April 7, 2008: HEAVY SNOW CAUSES POWER OUTAGES FOR CROW WING POWER MEMBERS
Heavy snow in northern Crow Wing and southern Cass Counties has left about 700 people still without power this morning. Yesterday’s snow storm started causing problems about 3:30 yesterday and snow up to 18 inches has hampered the line crews’ ability to repair lines quickly. The majority of damage is seen from a line north of Pine River/Emily to the Longville/Remer area. We've called in extra crews from other utilities to help repair lines that have been downed by heavy and broken trees. We hope to have all repaired by this evening and remind people to stay away from downed power lines. Please call if you see a dangerous situation and call to notify us you are out of power.
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Keep a battery operated radio handy. In a widespread outage, rely on radio broadcasts to learn more about the power outages.
Make sure you have at least one good flashlight with fresh batteries. Keep this in a spot your entire family knows about. If you use an open flame (i.e. candle) for illumination, be careful not to cause a house fire with it.
Keep the Crow Wing Power phone number posted near your telephone. (Note: Cordless phones do not work without power.) Make sure we have the correct phone number and address for your location.
Check your fuses and breakers before calling the Cooperative. If your neighbors have power, it is likely the problem is on your side of the service.
Stay away from downed power lines and any damaged electrical equipment. Keep others away.
If you are using electrical equipment (pumps, fans, etc.) to cleanup after a storm, be certain this equipment is in good repair and is being used safely.
In cold weather, don't use a combustion heating source without proper venting. This will reduce the risks of fire and carbon monoxide poisoning.
In warmer weather, avoid opening the refrigerator unnecessarily to avoid food spoilage.
When using a stand-by generator, be certain this is completely isolated from the normal power system. An approved transfer switch installed by a licensed electrician is the best way to insure safe generator operation. Locate the generator far enough away from any dwellings to prevent exhaust fumes from entering. Carbon monoxide poisoning is a common problem when using a generator.
While the power is off, there are a few steps you could take to make the power-up process smoother. These include:
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If you had portable equipment running when the power went out, you may want to switch these "OFF". As an example, a power saw may create a hazard when it suddenly restarts.
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Some electronic equipment may be affected by the restoration of power. These items include such items as computers and home entertainment devices. They could be switched "OFF" or unplugged until the power comes back on.
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Large electric loads could also be switched "OFF". There is going to be a number of appliances like refrigerators and well pumps that will start automatically after the power is restored. Any large electric loads that you can switch "OFF", such as air conditioners or electric heaters, will help us to restore the power.
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