Due to Western Montana being hit with record snowfall, here are a few tips to ensure your safety, as well as your warmth.
“With this cold weather we are having, it can cause damage to trees which result in damage to powerlines," said JoDee Black, the Public Relations Specialist for Northwestern Energy.
Black says that to ensure your warmth and safety you must clear snow from all heater vents.
“It's important for having a lot of snow to keep your vents clear from snow, to make sure that the appliances are working properly and ventilating properly, so you can sweep away the snow," said Black
Black says that a broom works best, and people should also shovel snow away from meters so crews can reach them.
“That way if there is a natural gas issue an emergency crew can get to the meter and take care of that very quickly," said Black.
Black also wanted to remind the public that crews do their best to effectively get people back with power if an outage happens.
“They are out doing there doing the work to keep us all in service when we need it the most, when it's this cold and snowy," said Black.
Black also says to prepare for potential outages by keeping water bottles and medications on hand, and food staples in your pantry.
