Prepare your Home, Family and Pets
					Before a Storm―Your Family, Home and Pets
					During and After the Storm―Your Home
					Safety Tips― Equipment, Food and Other Tips
					Confirming Power Is “On” from a Remote Location
Before a storm:
Power outages are rare―but they are inconvenient and may even be dangerous when they do happen. The measures you should take to prepare for a power outage or loss of natural gas service are similar to those you should take to prepare for any emergency situation.
For your family:
Because most major outages are caused by bad weather, start by developing shelter plans for severe storm and tornado conditions. Then, assemble a "storm kit" and store it in a secure, centrally located part of your house.    Make sure all family members know where the kit is. It should include:
	Emergency telephone numbers
	Flashlights and fresh batteries
	Battery-powered radio
	Battery-powered or wind-up alarm clock
	Supply of bottled water (one gallon per person per day)
	Non-perishable foods that don’t require heating
	Blankets, bedding or sleeping bags
	First-aid kit and medications
	Hand-operated can opener
	Special items for infants, the elderly or family members with special needs
	Hand tools, such as a screwdriver, scissors, duct tape, plastic utensils, paper plates, waterproof matches and household bleach
	Identification and copies of important family documents
	Extra cash, since an extended electrical power outage may prevent you from withdrawing money from automatic teller machines or banks
Note: Because we have customers on almost every major line who need electricity to operate life-support equipment, we can’t offer assurances that these customers will get their service restored any faster. If you have such equipment, you need to invest in private back-up power systems and develop alternative care plans to ensure safety and security, as well as register with Ameren’s Medical Equipment Registry program to make it easier for us to notify you in the event of a planned maintenance outage. Ask your physician about your options.
For your home:
It is also important to prepare your home for power outages before a storm. Here are some ways to prepare when bad weather is on the way.
Inside the home
	Turn your refrigerator to its coldest setting and leave the refrigerator closed. Food will stay fresher longer if the power goes out.
	Turn off and unplug any unnecessary electrical equipment―especially sensitive electronics.
	Place important documents in a safe box or other waterproof storage space.
Outside the home
	Fill your vehicle’s gas tank full.
	Bring lawn furniture and other loose, lightweight objects inside.
	If you have a swimming pool, turn off all pumps and filters and wrap them in waterproof materials. Water from the storm may otherwise damage them.
	Where possible, insulate or cover water lines, hose bibs, etc. when confronted with severe cold weather.
For your pets:
Just as you create a storm kit for your family, it’s important to assemble one for your pets, as well. Store your pet storm kit in a secure, centrally located part of your house, near the kit for your family. Your pet storm it should include:
	Several days supply of pet food and water
	Fresh litter, clean newspaper or other items for “personal” pet needs
	A crate or carrier for each pet
	Leashes, collars and tags for each pet
	Food and water bowls
	Any medications your pet might be taking
During and after a storm:
There are also some steps you can take during and after a storm to ensure the safety of your family, home and pets.
Assessing your home:
If your electric service is interrupted, follow these steps first:
	Check to see if your neighbors are without power.
	If you are the only one without power, check your panel box for a tripped circuit breaker or blown fuse. If any breakers are in the “off” position or if a fuse is blown, investigate the problem. For example, did you just turn on a major appliance? It may have overloaded the circuit. Unplug the appliance before flipping the switch back to “on” or replacing a fuse.
	If others in your neighborhood are without power, or if you can’t identify a problem in your home, contact your Ameren utility company to report the outage.
	Flip a porch light, or other light that a neighbor could see, to the “on” position. This will allow you to know when your power has been restored—and can help you determine if power is back “on” if you are at a remote location.
	When you call Ameren, if others in your area have already reported the outage or if automated systems have detected problems, you will hear a recording indicating Ameren is aware of your interrupted service. See Confirming Power Is “On” from a Remote Location.
	We may provide an estimated restoration time for your power to be restored. However, this is not always possible in severe storm conditions. As a result, we provide conservative estimates of power restoration times based on the best information available. See Ameren’s Storm Response for more information.
	You may receive a call from Ameren that allows us to gather more information during power outages. When you get this call, you will be asked to press “1” if your power is restored, or “2” if your power is still out. This information is then transferred back to the system for the dispatchers to note. However, it is possible that a factor other than the one we have repaired is contributing to your service disruption―so you may still be out of power when you receive this call!    By pressing “2,” you are giving us important information―you are telling us that you are still out of service. We will continue to investigate your disruption, but the problem may be one that is your responsibility to have repaired at your expense. Contact a qualified electrician to repair any damage that involves:
	-		The service bracket or pipe riser, which protects the connection point for the lines entering your home
	-		The weatherhead, which keeps rain and other material out of the pipe riser
	-		The pipe riser, which serves as a guide and protection for the lines entering the meter box
	-		The meter box, which protects the connections to your electric meter
See our electrical service components diagram for more information about your electrical service. See Ameren’s storm response and distribution system diagram for more information about the outage restoration process.
Safety Tips:
	Stay away from downed power lines―assume that any downed line is “energized.” Also, keep pets away from downed power lines. Report downed lines immediately by calling us.
	Unplug computers, televisions, stereos and other equipment that may be damaged if a power “surge” occurs when power is restored.
	Do not go near electrical equipment around areas of standing water, like a flooded basement.
	Stay alert for natural gas leaks. If you smell natural gas, or if you hear a blowing or hissing noise, open a window and leave the area immediately. Do not operate electrical switches. If possible, turn the outside main gas valve off and call the gas company from a neighbor’s house.
	If an outage lasts more than a few hours, use caution with your food. Check with your local health department and remember the rule, “When in doubt, throw it out!” The University of Illinois Extension Service says these foods should be discarded after four hours without power:
				Raw or cooked meat, poultry and seafood
				Milk, cream, yogurt and soft cheeses
				Cooked pasta and pasta salads
				Custard, chiffon and cheese pies
				Fresh eggs and egg substitutes
				Meat-topped pizza and lunch meats
				Casseroles, soups and stews
				Mayonnaise and tarter sauce
				Cookie dough
	These foods should be safe for a few days without power:
				Butter and margarine
				Fresh fruits and vegetables
				Opened jars of salad dressing, jelly, relish, taco sauce, barbecue sauce, mustard, ketchup and olives
				Hard and processed cheeses
Confirming Power Is “On” from a Remote Location:
Here are some tips to help you confirm that power is “on” from a remote location—even if “My Electric Outage” indicates that power has been restored.
	If you flipped the switch to your porch light, or other light that a neighbor could see, to the “on” position before leaving your location, call your neighbor to see if the light is on—then return.
	If you have an answering machine, call it. If the machine answers, power has been restored—then return.