240,000 Still Without Power From Winter Storm

DETROIT, MI — Some 240,000 metro Detroiters are still without power, following a winter storm that has iced power lines, toppled trees down and knocked out power with high winds this weekend. A total of 390,000 customers were impacted by the winter ice storm that swept across Michigan over the weekend and DTE Energy hopes to have 90 percent of the power restored by the end of day Tuesday.

Power has so far been restored to 1,500 customers hit by the storm and crews have been dispatched to about half of the outages reported, DTE said Monday afternoon. Cities like Romulus have the most outages, but Detroit and Royal Oak were also hit hard. Flooding has been reported in Detroit, particularly on the west side and some city buildings in Royal Oak were closed Monday, including the library and senior center. Royal Oak also had to reroute its police department phone calls and city hall’s phone lines were down, too. Downed power lines were reported in cities like Grosse Pointe Farms.

Staying safe

The Michigan State Police issued tips to stay safe from this weekend's storm. Preparations for severe weather include charging cell phones and other devices in case power is interrupted, evaluating whether driving is necessary, allowing more time for travel if you choose to drive and creating emergency kits for your car and home.
Ice accumulation is a serious threat to power lines, according to MSP. Below are some specific reminders from them on staying safe during a power outage:

• During and after a storm, stay at least 25 feet from any downed lines and assume that every line is "live" and dangerous.
• If clearing trees or limbs, make CERTAIN they are not in contact with a power line. Trees and branches can conduct electricity and electrocute you on contact.
• Do not call 911 to ask about the power outage. Report outages to your utility company.
• Never run a generator indoors. Ensure it is outside – far away from windows or any other area where exhaust can vent back into a living area. Carbon monoxide can cause injury or death.
• Have an emergency preparedness kit ready with supplies to last three days per person (e.g., food, water, first aid kit, flashlight and radio with extra batteries, clothing and blankets).

For more information about what to do before, during and after an emergency or disaster, go to www.michigan.gov/miready or follow the MSP/EMHSD on Twitter at @MichEMHS.

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