Stay above water with these flood safety tips

The Midwest is no stranger to heavy rainfall and flooding. Knowing what to do to prepare and recover from floods in your neighborhood — or even in your own home or business — is critical to your safety. Review these best practices to stay safe before and after floods.

Preparing for floods

Call MidAmerican right away at 888-427-5632 if you think your home or business will be impacted by flooding. We can temporarily disconnect your services for your own safety if your electric and/or natural gas service is likely to be impacted by flooding. Once we can confirm the situation is safe, we will reconnect your service at no charge.

Be aware that we may proactively disconnect your service if it is necessary to prevent an emergency situation. We take this measure to ensure the safety of our customers or employees during a coming flood, or if it is requested by local disaster or city officials. We will notify you in advance as soon as possible if we need to disconnect your service for any reason.

Switch off your circuit breakers. If it looks like floodwaters may rise high enough to cover electrical outlets, deactivating your circuit breakers can help prevent electrocution or other safety risks. If your electrical box is located in the basement, make sure there is no standing water before entering.

Unplug and move your basement appliances to a higher floor. If water has not reached your basement, but you suspect it might, move as many appliances as you can to an upper floor. Do not touch or attempt to unplug an electrical appliance if the floor is damp or if you’re standing in water. Do not attempt to relight pilot lights in gas appliances or equipment like a furnace or water heater.

Sign up for outage alerts in My Account. This allows you to receive email or text updates when your service is disrupted and stay informed of our restoration progress.

Staying safe during active floods

▸Avoid standing water. Floodwaters outside may carry electrical current from downed power lines. Flooding in your home may also present a safety hazard if your electricity is not shut off beforehand.

▸Always assume downed power lines are energized. If you see any downed or low-hanging wires, do not go near them. Call us at 800-799-4443 to report an electric emergency.

▸Leave immediately if you smell natural gas. Call us from a safe location at 800-595-5325 to report a gas leak and request a free inspection. Do not touch anything that could cause a spark — like using a cell phone or flipping on a light switch. Do not attempt to locate the leak.

Recovering after floods

Do not enter a flooded home or basement unless you are certain the electricity is shut off. If you aren’t sure whether the power is off, call us or a professional electrician.

Unplug electric appliances before resetting breakers. If you can do so without standing in water or on a wet surface, unplugging appliances before switching your electric box back on can prevent damage to them. Be sure to stand to the side of the panel when resetting a breaker switch, and wear safety glasses to protect your eyes from potential sparking. Call a professional electrician if you need assistance.

Have your appliances and wiring inspected if your property was flooded. Call a professional electrician to examine your electrical wiring and appliances. Do not turn on any lights, appliances or other electrical equipment until an electrician has checked your home for electrical or circuit problems. A licensed HVAC professional may also need to inspect your gas equipment like water heaters and furnaces.

Call MidAmerican to have your service restored. If your property sustained damage during the event, before service can be restored, an inspection may be required by city, county or state inspectors, or by professional electricians, plumbers or HVAC expert. To have your service restored after repair and inspection, call us at 800-432-0586. Assistance is available 24 hours every day.

[DECORATION] close-up of person mopping a wet basement floor

Always here for you

Safety is our top priority, always. We care about your safety, and that of all our employees and the communities we serve. Making sure you have the knowledge to stay safe around utilities during all kinds of severe weather is one of the most important ways we are obsessively, relentlessly at your service.

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