TRI-CITIES, Wash., – As the winter season continues with rain, wind and snow, it’s important to have a plan in the event that something does happen to your residence.
According to Benton PUD’s website, residents should always have flashlights ready and available to access in the case of an outage. Benton PUD suggests having them readily available so you don’t have to search for them in the dark.
They also suggest having a supply of blankets, warm clothes, and accessories for a loss of power. Jenny Sparks, the communications manager with Benton PUD, says crews are always on standby should an outage occur.
“So whether that call comes in on a working day or holiday, middle of the night, or whenever (the call comes in), crews are assigned and the crew will go out and assess the situation and work to restore the power as quickly and efficiently as possible, while maintaining safety as well too,” said Sparks.
Sparks says the average response time for Benton PUD workers is around 2 hours, and that customers should avoid going out and trying to fix the problem themselves.
When they do arrive, Sparks says to stay indoors, but have your phone ready in case you spot a downed line, spark, or other issue threatening crews. That way, they can send more help to resolve the issue.
To contact Benton PUD for questions or to report an outage, click here.
