7/10/24 - Consumers Energy Offers Safety Tips As Rains, Flooding Hit Michigan

Many areas of Southern Michigan are dealing with continued rainfall due to the recent hurricane and that could result in flooding for many homeowners and communities.

Consumers Energy Press Release) - With heavy rains continuing through the day across Michigan, Consumers Energy is providing safety tips for households that may be dealing with flooding. See below for more information, or click here.

Consumers Energy’s Storm Restoration Team is also mobilized to help customers who have been affected by this storm and is working actively to restore power. See updates on our online outage map, or contact Consumers Energy’s media relations team at 800-557-4625.

Flooding safety tips:

• If your home is at risk of flooding and you’re planning to evacuate,  it’s important to turn off the power in your home as a precaution. You can do this by turning off individual circuit breakers in the panel box as well as the main shut-off switch.  
• If your panel box is in the basement which is already holding water, do not turn the power off yourself. Contact your energy provider to have them shut the power off at the meter. In the meantime, unplug all electrical devices in other (dry) areas of the house and move them to higher locations.  

• Do not touch any electrical devices or appliances while standing in water. 
• Do not enter any area where water has risen above the electric outlets. 
• Be aware of areas where any wiring may be underwater. 
• If you are outdoors, be aware of downed power lines. Stay 25 feet away and report the powerline to 911 and your energy provider. 
• When returning home after a flood, remember:

• If you did not turn your power off before leaving, use caution when turning it off upon reentry. 
• If you have standing water in your home and can turn off the main power from a dry location, then turn off the power. If you must enter standing water to access the main power switch, then call an electrician to turn it off. 
• If your power is off, have your wiring checked and re-energized by a licensed electrician.  
• You should also have an electrician verify appliances are deemed safe before resuming use.