Sam Houston EC Encourages Consumer-Members to Prepare for Winter Storm Fern

Cold weather is heading towards East Texas, and Sam Houston Electric Cooperative employees have been busy preparing the system for the inclement weather. 

Consumer-members should do the same and focus on protecting people, pets, pipes, and plants. Ready.gov has resources to help you evaluate your preparations, especially if you have specific needs.

Remember, safety is key in bitterly cold weather.

• Before temperatures drop, do not forget to insulate exposed pipes around your home to reduce heat loss and prevent potential damage from freezing.
• Use space heaters sparingly, if possible, as they can lead to significant energy consumption. Always plug them directly into the wall and not a power strip. Be sure they aren’t near curtains or flammable materials.
• Generators are popular, but they must be used safely. Learn more here.
• When using an alternative heat source, follow operating instructions, use fire safeguards, and be sure to properly ventilate. Always keep a multipurpose, dry-chemical fire extinguisher nearby, and know how to use it, and monitor for carbon monoxide.
• Driving conditions may deteriorate with the weather, so check road status with DriveTexas.org. 

If outages occur, consumer-members can check the outage map for the latest information.

Members can also receive personalized updates about the status of their service sent to phone or email, by signing up for account notifications.

Additional winter weather resources can be found here, including tips to stay safe and control energy consumption.

Follow local emergency management officials for detailed information about your community.

Inclement Weather Resources