Preparing for an Outage
At Central, we work hard to provide safe, reliable electricity to our members. While we maintain and upgrade our system year-round, severe weather such as thunderstorms, high winds, tornadoes and ice storms can sometimes cause power outages.
Being prepared before a storm helps keep your family safe and makes outages easier to manage.
Before the Storm: Be Prepared
Taking a few simple steps before can make a big difference after a major weather event.
Before the Storm: Be Prepared
Taking a few simple steps before can make a big difference after a major weather event.
Build an emergency kit
- Flashlights
- Extra batteries
- portable phone chargers or power banks
- First aid kit
- Bottled Water
- Nonperishable food
- Manual can opener
- Battery-powered or hand-crank radio
- Blankets and extra clothing
Prepare Your home
- Secure outdoor furniture and loose items
- Trim trees and limbs around your home (always hire a professional near power lines)
- Know how to manually open your garage door
- Fuel vehicles and generators in advance
During an Outage: Safety First
Downed Power Lines
- Never touch a downed power line
- Assume all lines are energized
- Stay at least 30 feet away from a downed power line
- Report immediately to Central at 405-372-2884 or call 911 if there is immediate danger
Use Generators Safely
Improper generator use can cause carbon monoxide poisoning or serious injury.
- Never operate a generator inside your home, garage or enclosed space
- Place generators at least 20 feet away from your home
- Never plug a generator directly into a wall outlet
- Use a transfer switch installed by a qualified electrician
- Keep generators dry and protected from rain
Protect Your Food
- Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed
- Refrigerated food is safe for about 4 hours
- A full freezer will keep food frozen for about 48 hours (24 hours if half full)
SmartHub is the fastest and easiest way to let us know when your power goes out. You may access the SmartHub website or download the app on your mobile device, through the App Store (iPhone or iPad) or Google Play (Android devices) at no charge.
Call
Report your outage by calling Central at 405-372-2884.
Outage Texting
Report your outage by texting OUT to 800-375-2884. Haven’t enrolled in two-way texting? Text JOIN to 800-375-2884 to enroll.
Damage can occur on different parts of the system. Your home may be served by a different line or transformer.
Every outage is different. Once damage is assessed, we will provide updates through Central's Facebook account and on the outage map.
Crews may be restoring multiple parts of a line that must be restored before individual homes can receive power again. There may be something that affects the line that powers your home, further away that must be fixed.
Once an outage is reported, by calling, texting or through SmartHub, there's no need to repeatedly report the outage unless you have new information, such a downed line.