(COLORADO SPRINGS) — With strong wind gusts forecasted for Thursday night, Dec. 1, and into the next, Colorado Springs Utilities (Springs Utilities) is sharing tips with customers on how to stay safe during and after severe weather.

Springs Utilities will have crews available and ready 24/7 in case of emergencies and service interruptions. Electric crews and extra support staff will be on standby overnight ready to respond to emergencies.

Customers are advised to remove or secure outdoor holiday decorations, inflatables and lights prior to tonight to help prevent wind-related damage and ease potential access for emergency crews.

For electric and natural gas service

  • Customers should report downed power lines by calling 719-448-4800
  • Report and track electric outages using our online outage map.
  • Do not use ovens, stoves or camping stoves for heat to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.
  • Since the December 2021 windstorm, Springs Utilities has seen a higher incidence of electric generator usage. Customers should follow manufacturer instructions to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning and electrocution hazards.
  • In the case of snow, clear snow and ice from your natural gas meter to keep it running efficiently. Gently brush the snow off with your hands, broom or brush. Don’t kick it or hit it with a shovel, as this could damage the meter.
  • After a storm, customers who are served by overhead electric lines must check their home’s mast for damage. Should an outage occur, the mast must be in working order before we can safely restore power to your home.

Electric service restoration reminders

  • In the event of large-scale power outages, Springs Utilities prioritizes restoration based on impacts to critical infrastructure and public safety.
  • Springs Utilities also prioritizes based on total number of customers impacted. For example, if there is damage that affects 100 customers, Springs Utilities will respond to that before they make repairs to another area impacting fewer customers.
  • If an area has extensive tree damage and limited access, there may be delays before crews can safely repair damaged equipment.

Downed trees

For more information, you can go to the Springs Utilities webpage.