Severe weather is the usual culprit, no matter the season. NorthWestern Energy crews respond promptly to all outage situations. At NorthWestern Energy, we are proud to provide reliable service to our customers.

Preparing for an emergency is energy well spent. A disaster can strike at any time. By being aware of your surroundings and stocking up on some essential supplies, you can get ready for natural disasters and emergencies before they happen.

• Prepare an emergency plan and conduct an emergency drill with your family. Each room should have at least two ways to escape in case one is blocked. Establish a place where your family can reunite after an emergency.
• If you live in an apartment, know the locations of emergency exits, fire alarms, and fire extinguishers.
• Make sure children, houseguests and childcare providers know your safety procedures. By planning and practicing what to do, you can condition yourself and your family to react correctly when an emergency occurs.
• Establish an alternative way to contact others that may not be home, such as an out-of-the-area telephone contact. During some emergencies such as an earthquake, completing local telephone calls may be difficult. It may be easier to telephone someone out of the area. It is also important that if you rely on a cordless telephone, you have an alternative phone option available that doesn’t require electricity.
• Prepare and maintain an emergency preparedness kit with enough supplies on hand to be self-sufficient for at least three days, and preferably up to one week.
• Always store flammable material safely away from ignition sources like water heaters, furnaces and stoves.
• Be sure smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are installed throughout your home. If the alarm runs on batteries, or has battery back-up power, replace batteries at least once per year. If the low battery warning beeps, replace the battery immediately. All alarms in your house should be tested every month using the alarm test button.
• Keep fire extinguishers in your home, and know how to use them before they are needed. You should keep a fire extinguisher in high-risk areas such as the kitchen and workshop.