Focus on Safety This Holiday Season
For many, the holidays are a wonderful time to celebrate with friends and family. As part of our annual festivities, many of us enjoy decorating our homes to reflect our holiday spirit. As you decorate, keep safety in mind.
Always check electrical cords and strings of light to make sure they aren’t damaged. Double-check lights and cords used outside to make sure they’re rated for outdoor use.
1 of the best and easiest ways to protect your home and your loved ones is to test smoke alarms. It only takes a few seconds to make sure your family stays safe.
Winter storm season arrives with the holidays, and we know extreme weather can cause longer power outages. Snow, ice, and strong winds may lead to system damage. Even with our crews working around the clock, repairs can be time-consuming and difficult.
There are several things you can do to prepare for an outage:
- Update your contact information with us at Douglas Electric Cooperative so we have a current email and phone number in our system.
- Put together an emergency kit that is easily accessible. See suggested kit supplies on the Storm Outage Safety page.
- See our Power Outage Tips page.
- Visit the Emergency Management page to sign up for local emergency alerts in Douglas County.
- If you lose power, check DEC outages on the Outage Status page and on our Facebook page.
While preparing for winter power outages is essential for keeping our homes safe and comfortable, the holiday season also reminds us of the importance of looking out for our neighbors. Supporting local nonprofits ensures everyone in our community can weather the season’s challenges together.
This holiday season, I am filled with gratitude for our members, board of directors, employees, and community partners. Let’s continue to share that spirit by supporting local organizations, volunteering our time, and helping each other.
Happy holidays!
General Manager Keith Brooks