Spokane has a long memory for outages. In November 1996, freezing rain coated the region in ice, snapping trees and power lines across the city. On November 17, 2015, a windstorm with gusts topping 70 mph tore through the Inland Northwest; about 180,000 Avista customers lost power, and restoration took roughly ten days. Summer heat waves and wildfire season have added outages of their own. A few steps now make the next one far easier.
Before the storm
- Keep flashlights, batteries and a battery radio where you can find them in the dark.
- Know where your electrical panel is, and label the circuits.
- Keep a phone power bank charged.
- If you rely on a well pump, sump pump or medical equipment, plan backup power.
- Trim branches away from the service line to your house. Avista trims its lines; branches over your own service drop may be yours to manage.
- Sign up for Avista’s outage alerts and bookmark the outage map.
Generators: do it safely
Portable generators are the most common way Spokane homes ride out outages, and the most common way people get hurt during them. The two biggest dangers are carbon monoxide and backfeeding.
- Run generators outside only, well away from doors, windows and vents. Never in a garage, even with the door open.
- Install CO detectors on every level of your home.
- Never plug a generator into a wall or dryer outlet. Backfeeding can electrocute line workers and start fires.
- Have an electrician install a generator inlet with an interlock or transfer switch, so you can safely power your furnace, fridge and lights.
A generator plugged into a house outlet can send power back out through the transformer onto the lines line workers are repairing. Use a proper inlet and interlock or transfer switch.
During the outage
Report the outage to Avista or your utility rather than assuming someone else has. Keep one light switch on so you’ll know when power returns, and turn off or unplug large appliances so they don’t all start at once. Stay away from any downed line, and keep children and pets away too.
When the power comes back
Power often returns with surges and flickers. Unplug sensitive electronics during the outage, then plug them back in after power is stable. If parts of the house don’t come back, check the panel for tripped breakers. If your service mast, meter base or the wires to your house were damaged, Avista may not reconnect until a licensed electrician repairs your equipment and it passes inspection.
| After an outage | What to do |
|---|---|
| Whole house still out, neighbors on | Check the main breaker; call Avista; inspect the mast and meter |
| Some circuits out | Check for tripped breakers and GFCIs |
| Lights dim and brighten | Possible loose neutral; call an electrician and Avista |
| Mast or meter damaged | Call a licensed electrician to repair before reconnection |
Food, water and heat
During a multi-day outage, keep the refrigerator and freezer closed as much as possible; a full freezer stays cold far longer than a half-empty one. If your water comes from a well, fill containers before a forecast storm. In winter, close off rooms you aren’t using, and never use a gas oven, grill or camp stove to heat the house. If you have a wood or pellet stove, make sure the chimney has been cleaned. Check on elderly neighbors and anyone who relies on medical equipment. If you depend on powered medical devices, let Avista know and keep a written plan for where you’ll go if the outage lasts. Spokane opens warming and cooling centers during extreme weather; know where the nearest one is, and how you’d get there if roads are icy or blocked by fallen trees.
Making the next outage easier
Whole-home surge protection at the panel, a generator inlet or standby generator, and battery backup for internet and medical devices all help. Our generator installation guide compares the options, and the electrical repair guide explains storm damage repairs. For everything else, see our Spokane, WA electrical services overview.