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Get Ready for Storm Season

Posted: November 21, 2022, 11:54 am

Winter storms in Gig Harbor and the Key Peninsula can run the gamut from driving rain to sleet, snow, ice, blowing winds or any combination of these! While PenLight’s vegetation management and undergrounding programs help protect the reliability of our electric service, it is still important to be prepared. Here are a few tips we’ve gathered from local emergency experts:

Before a Storm

  • Make a family plan and discuss emergency notifications and expectations with your workplace and/or schools. Ensure your family documents include current phone numbers, car license plate numbers and photo IDs.
  • Gather emergency essentials such as battery-powered lanterns, flashlights, fresh batteries, first-aid supplies, bottled water and nonperishable food, including pet food. Keep a blanket and an extra set of warm clothes and walking shoes or boots in every vehicle.
  • Ensure you have a few days’ supply of prescription medications on hand.
  • Fully charge your cellphones, tablets, e-readers and portable power packs.
  • Keep a battery-powered radio in a convenient spot. If you have a landline, ensure you have a corded phone available.
  • If you have access to an outside generator, ensure your electric cord is long enough to keep the generator at least 20 feet from any door, window or vent.
  • Be alert to changing weather conditions. KGHP 89.3, 89.9 or 105.7 FM keep us up to date on the latest local news. Download a reliable weather app on your smartphone to monitor conditions and sign up for Pierce County Alerts.
  • Use surge protectors, with an indicator light, for electronic equipment that could be damaged by a power surge when power is restored. If your power goes out, turn off each surge protector. Have a lamp plugged directly into an outlet and leave it on when the power goes out. When power is restored, the lamp will turn on and it will be safe to turn your surge protectors back on.

During & After a Storm

  • If your power goes out, please let us know via PenLight’s outage notification system. Call (877) 853-1388 or use our text reporting system. Visit our Outage Updates & Reporting page to learn how to sign up.
  • Never use generators, gasoline or propane heaters or outdoor heating or cooking equipment, such as a grill or camp stove, indoors.
  • If you venture outdoors, stay away from downed power lines and our PenLight crews while they work to restore your service.

For more tips on responding to power outages, as well as other electrical issues or emergencies, visit our Power Outages page.

Steps to Restoring Power: When a major outage occurs, our crews restore service to the greatest number of people in the shortest time possible – until everyone has power. 1. High-Voltage Transmission Lines: These lines carry large amounts of electricity. They rarely fail but must be repaired first; 2. Distribution Substations: Crews inspect substations, which can serve hundreds or thousands of people; 3. Main Distribution Lines: Main lines serve essential facilities like hospitals and larger communities; 4. Individual Homes & Businesses: After main line repairs are complete, we repair lines that serve individual homes and businesses;