MERRILLVILLE — Warm weather can bring heavy rain, strong winds and storms that can wreak havoc in an instant. To ensure safety during inclement weather, NIPSCO reminds customers to take precautionary measures and prepare for severe weather.
Before the Storm
Customers can stay prepared by following some simple safety tips such as:
• Monitor the weather and know what conditions are forecasted for your area.
• Create a storm preparedness kit, including essential medicines, nonperishable food items, water, flashlights, a fully charged cell phone, portable radios and portable batteries.
• Sign up for NIPSCO Alerts to receive up-to-date information, including power outage status updates.
• Include NIPSCO’s 24-hour customer service line 1-800-4-NIPSCO (1-800-464-7726) as one of your emergency phone numbers.
• If someone in your family requires life support equipment, make prior arrangements for a backup power supply. This may mean having a generator or going to a health care facility that has backup power.
• Periodically inspect trees in the landscape and correct obvious problems. Dead trees and broken, dead or decaying limbs can threaten lives or increase property damage during a storm. Never attempt to prune limbs or remove trees that are close to power lines. For your safety, always contact
NIPSCO if you see a tree that you suspect is causing a potentially dangerous condition. With strong winds and tree damage being the most common cause of power outages during the summer months, NIPSCO has also increased their tree trimming around power lines.
“We can’t guess how much damage a storm will bring, so we’re constantly trying to prepare and get ahead of potential safety hazards, with tree trimming being on the top of that list,” said Ben Felton, vice president of power delivery for NIPSCO. “This increased effort will help keep our customers, communities and crews safe during inclement weather.”
During the Storm
If your area is affected by a storm, be sure to stay clear of any fallen power lines. If you spot a fallen line, report it to the police and call NIPSCO’s 24-hour customer service line at 1-800-4-NIPSCO.
If you experience a power outage, please report it through one of our channels:
• Text: Text “Out” to 444111. (You will receive a response confirming your address and contact information.)
• Online: NIPSCO.com
• Mobile Device: m.nipsco.com
• Phone: 1-800-4-NIPSCO
Additionally, please continue to stay informed. Follow local news and radio and NIPSCO for up-to-date information. NIPSCO will also provide updates regarding the current number of customers affected, where outages are located and when power is expected to be restored, using the following channels:
• NIPSCO.com/Alerts – Sign up for power outage alerts to receive outage updates, including estimated restoration times, via text, email or phone.
• NIPSCO.com/Out– Find current information on the status of power outages and estimated restoration times.
• m.nipsco.com – View the same outage map and details on NIPSCO.com from your mobile device.
• facebook.com/NIPSCO or twitter.com/NIPSCO – Follow NIPSCO’s progress through popular social media channels to view photos and power restoration updates.
For more storm safety tips, visit NIPSCO.com/StaySafe.
