As freezing rain begins to blanket the state, Ameren Missouri's Emergency Operations Center is positioning crews and resources to be ready to respond to customers' needs, should power outages occur. Days before the rains started, Ameren Missouri began preparing for the forecasted ice storm.
At this hour:
• 490 Ameren Missouri linemen are on standby.
• 820 external lineman crews from the Midwest Mutual Assistance and other contractor sources are moving into our service territory in preparation for this storm. They will be in place by late Tuesday.
• These crews are coming from as far away as Michigan, Wisconsin, Tennessee, Oklahoma and Kansas.
• 850 tree trimmers are positioned to respond once the storm hits.
• 50 other field personnel are in place to support field crews.
• 200 field checkers are prepared to go out into the community and assess damage to the system once the storm hits.
• 240 support staff will provide a wide variety of assistance to crews in the field, including resource distribution and logistics.
• Six mobile warehouses, called storm trailers, are positioned throughout Missouri to supply these crews with needed equipment and resources to quickly restore power to customers.
Ameren Illinois emergency personnel and crews are also making preparations in advance of the storm.
Safety is paramount as Ameren Missouri crews and customers make preparations. Ameren Missouri urges customers to be prepared by having a battery-powered radio and flashlights available, along with drinking water, canned/no-cook foods, a first aid kit and a supply of any necessary medications.
If you do lose power, report it to Ameren Missouri at 1.800.552.7583. Please stay away from downed power lines - assume that any downed line is “energized.” Report downed lines immediately by calling the 800 number.
Customers using generators should notify Ameren Missouri to ensure the safety of line crews and residents in the area. Always follow the instructions for proper connection and use of a permanent or portable standby generator. Residents are required by law to ensure that no electricity from their standby power generator backfeeds into Ameren Missouri's power lines during an outage.
Additional information on Ameren Missouri’s storm preparation and restoration procedures, status of current outages and important safety tips can be found at AmerenMissouri.com.
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Ameren Missouri has been providing electric and gas service for more than a century, and our electric rates are among the lowest in the nation. We serve 1.2 million electric and 126,000 natural gas customers in central and eastern Missouri. Our mission is to meet their energy needs in a safe, reliable, efficient and environmentally responsible manner. Our service area covers 63 counties and more than 500 towns, including the greater St. Louis area. For more information, visit AmerenMissouri.com.