Storm preparation
When outages occur, SMUD works around-the-clock to restore electric service as quickly as possible. SMUD has additional crews on call that can be brought in if necessary.
SMUD also has a full complement of customer service representatives ready to answer customer calls reporting outages.
See SMUD's brochure of storm tips -- available in many languages. (Requires Adobe Reader software. Download free Acrobat Reader software from the Adobe Web site.)
Preparing for a storm ...
Become familiar with your service panel location and how to operate the main circuit breaker.
Prepare a basic emergency kit and store it in an accessible place. The kit should contain:
- Flashlight
- Supply of bottled water
- Extra batteries
- Battery-operated clock
- Manual can opener
- Battery-operated radio or television to get news reports with estimated times that electricity will be restored
Protect your household appliances and sensitive electronic devices from damaging power surges caused by wind and lightning storms. To learn more about SMUD's Power Protection Service, see our surge protection page in Serving Your Home.
If you have an uninterruptible power source - a device with an internal battery that provides continuous power to computers plugged into it -- remember that the device provides backup power for only a short time, usually a few minutes. However, this is often enough time to ride out power glitches or short outages.
If the power goes out...
- Check to see if the lights are out in neighboring homes -- if they are, chances are that you’re a part of a larger outage.
- Call SMUD’s toll free outage line at 1-888-456-SMUD (7683). Customers will hear information about identified outages that have already been reported. If the outage in your area has not been reported, you may be asked to report an outage.
- If asked to report an outage, be prepared to give your phone number with area code, address, a description of the problem
- If yours is the only home on the street without power, the problem may be in your service panel Check to see if the main circuit breaker switch has flipped to the “off” or “trip” position. If it has, and you are standing on dry ground and have dry hands, firmly push the switch to the “off” position and then to the “on” position.
- Turn off all electric appliances except one light while waiting for electricity to be restored. This lowers the initial demand for electricity and makes it easier for SMUD crews to restore electric service. The light will signify when power has been restored.
If stormy weather knocks down a power line...
- Call SMUD at 1-888-456-SMUD (7683) or 911 immediately.
- Assume the line is “energized” and stay away and warn others to do the same.
- Do not remove fallen tree limbs or other debris from power. Tree limbs and other objects can conduct electricity that can shock anyone coming in contact with them.
The following priorities are used to determine where crews will be sent during a storm:
- Public safety hazards (power lines down, poles down)
- Hospitals and critical flood control pumps
- Areas with large numbers of customers out of power
- Scattered, smaller outages
Storm tips brochure in various languages
The information on this Web page is also available in brochure form in the languages listed below. To get a copy of the Winter Storm Tips brochure, please call SMUD Customer Service at 1-888-742-SMUD (7683). You can also print the brochure using your computer.
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