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Follow these six flood safety tips to keep you and your home safe  

ST. LOUIS (July 10, 2026) – Ameren Missouri is encouraging customers to be aware of hazards caused by heavy rainfall and potential flooding by following six key safety tips to keep them safe.

The prospect of an electrical accident may not be at the top of your mind when you’re dealing with a flooded basement or backyard, but pausing to think about how the water may be near an electric service or how you are interacting with both water and electricity can help keep you and your family safe.  

Follow these top six flood safety tips: 

1. Never step into a flooded basement or area where water may still be in contact with electrical outlets, appliances or cords.
2. Don’t attempt to turn off power at the breaker box if you must stand in water to do so. Instead, call Ameren Missouri at 800.552.7583 or to shut off power at the meter.  
3. Keep electric tools and equipment at least 10 feet away from wet surfaces. Do not use electric yard tools if it’s raining or the ground is wet.
4. If an electrical appliance has been in contact with water, have a professional check it out before it is used. Similarly, have a qualified electrician repair any damaged electrical equipment. 
5. If you see flooding around your home or business, call Ameren Missouri to have the electricity turned off before the water reaches electrical service equipment. There is also a chance that service may be proactively turned off at the request of local authorities when flood waters threaten a community. 
6. Consider having ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCI) professionally installed on outlets. These safety devices can cut off power instantly if there’s a problem. GFCIs are recommended for outdoor outlets and outlets near wet areas of the home, such as the kitchen, bath and laundry room. 

In addition, operating a vehicle during flooding can cause safety issues on roadways. Never attempt to drive through a flooded area. Six inches of water will reach the bottom of most passenger cars, one foot of water will cause most vehicles to float, and 2 feet of rushing water can sweep away a vehicle. 

If your vehicle strikes a utility pole or you witness a crash involving a utility pole and a downed power line, stay in your vehicle and immediately call 911.

Ameren Missouri provides a variety of safety tips for customers, including severe weather preparedness, how to be safe around water and electricity, natural gas leak detection, electrical fire safety, call before you dig, and general safety reminders. All of Ameren's customer safety tips can be found at Ameren.com/Safety.

About Ameren Missouri

Ameren Missouri has been providing electric and gas service for more than 100 years, and the company's electric rates are among the lowest in the nation. Ameren Missouri's mission is to power the quality of life for its 1.3 million electric and 135,000 natural gas customers in central and eastern Missouri. The company's service area covers 60 counties and more than 500 communities, including the greater St. Louis area. For more information, visit Ameren.com/Missouri or follow us at @AmerenMissouri or Facebook.com/AmerenMissouri.