SOUTHERN COLORADO — Southern Colorado is expecting to see at least 70 mph gusts today, which can cause power outages across our region. If you do decide to venture outside today, there are ways you can protect yourself if you get caught in a wind gust.
According to the National Weather Service, the first thing you want to do is seek shelter, against a building if not inside it, and be sure to use handrails if available to you. Also, watch out for flying debris and objects.
I had the chance to speak with those at Colorado Springs Utilities who are no strangers to battling inclement weather. They say if you’re venturing outside today, it’s important to stay away from downed power lines, because they may still be “live” meaning they still have electricity flowing through them. In preparation for today’s wind gusts, Colorado Springs Utilities will have extra crews out.
“About 75 percent of Colorado Spring Utilities electric lines are actually underground. So about only a quarter of our system are those overhead lines. Safety is of course our number one priority, both the safety of our customers and the safety of our crews,” said Natalie Watts, Spokesperson for Colorado Springs Utilities.
“The other benefit that Colorado Springs Utilities has is mutual aid assistance agreements with neighboring utilities. So basically, what that means is, if we experience inclement weather here, we can call on other utility companies from around the region to come and help us.”
Remember, if you don’t want items in your yard blowing away, be sure to secure any trash bags, and loose or hanging objects on your patio that you don’t want to lose or have damaged.
If you find yourself dealing with a power outage, the best thing to do is report your power outage to the Colorado Springs Utilities' website, which can be found here.
