Spring can bring severe weather

Take comfort knowing you're prepared before, during, and after any storm

Throughout the year, our crews train and ready themselves to respond to emergencies. They also take steps to protect and harden our system for those times when Mother Nature delivers a severe-weather event. Preparing ahead allows our crews to be at their best and, if needed, restore service as quickly as possible.

As a customer, there are steps that you and your family can take  to prepare for extreme weather and to stay safe during the storm and after it has passed.

Before the storm

• Download Liberty’s My Account app to stay informed through our outage map and enroll in email or text notifications. Learn more.
• Create a basic emergency plan and share it with all members of your household. Be sure to include evacuation routes, shelter areas, and a meeting point outside the home.
• Program the following emergency numbers into your mobile phone:
  • Liberty: 1-855-382-6511
  • Other utility companies
  • Red Cross
• Create an emergency preparedness kit with essentials your family may need if a disaster strikes. Include:
  • First-aid essentials such as bandages and adhesive tape
  • Medications
  • Battery-powered or hand-crank radio
  • A sound maker
  • Flashlight and extra batteries
  • Non-perishable foods and manual can opener if needed
  • Bottled water (at least one gallon per person per day)
  • Baby formula (if applicable)
  • Pet food (if applicable)

Download an extreme weather checklist by clicking here.

During the storm 

• Get inside. In the event of a tornado, get underground if possible. If there isn’t a basement, go to the lowest floor and move as far as you can into the middle of the building.
• Put on closed-toe, soled shoes. This will protect your feet if you need to walk through debris following the storm.
• Stay away from windows and doors, even if they’re covered. High winds and hail can cause glass to shatter.
• If you experience an outage:
  • Use the My Account app on your phone to report your outage and view updates on our outage map.
  • Disconnect or turn off any nonessential electrical equipment that may start automatically when power is restored to avoid overloading circuits.
  • Do not open freezers or refrigerators more than necessary. Opening will allow food to thaw more quickly. 

After the storm 

• Always stay away from downed power lines. Even if it appears harmless, the line could still be energized and extremely dangerous. Report downed lines to 911 and your electic utility.
• Do not travel until streets are safe and clear of debris and downed lines. If your vehicle comes into contact with a power line, stay inside. Warn others not to approach or attempt to touch the car or line. Call 911 and Liberty at 1-855-382-6511 immediately.
• If you smell natural gas or suspect a leak, leave the house immediately and call 911 and your gas provider.
• Do not attempt to drive or walk through floodwaters. A few inches of fast-moving water can knock you off your feet and just a foot can sweep vehicles away. Even if the water appears shallow, it could be covering roadway that has been washed away or a downed line.
• Look for damage around your residence that may prevent your power from being restored and have a licensed electrician make repairs as needed.
• Do not wire your generator directly to your breaker fuse box, as it could back feed on power lines and cause serious injury or death to our teams who are working to restore power.
• Take photos or video to document any damage to your home or property, then contact your insurance company to begin the claims process.
• Replenish supplies for any future storms.

Extreme weather safety tips and information

How we prepare for extreme weather