THE UTILITY COMPANY SAFETY KIT

Your customers might be prepping for the winter, but are you ready to weather the storm as a utility company? Are you prepared to communicate with your customers?

Don’t have the correct contact information for your customers? Contact Experian to help you build your own safety kit and ready your company for the upcoming inclement weather season.

6 http://www.theweathernetwork.com/us/news/articles/us-weather/winter-preview-el-nino-contributes-to-a-tale-of-two-seasons/56531/

5 http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-massive-el-nino-is-now-too-big-to-fail-scientist-says-20151009-story.html

1 http://www.accuweather.com/en/features/trend/infographic-top-10-snowiest-ma/44059021

BABY, IT’S COLD OUTSIDEIt’s inevitable. Every winter, households across the country are hit with unexpected storms. Individuals get snowed in, neighborhoods flood and homes chilled. In worst-case scenarios, homes lose power and families are left to wait it out, bundle up and hope for a thaw.

BEWARE THE SNOWMAGEDDONAnyone living in, traveling to or flying through the Northeast, knows the power and magnitude of a strong storm.

Since 2000, there have been 19 weather-related grid disruption events, affecting more than1 million customers. Eight were hurricanes and three were winter storms.3

Boston endured a record-breaking winter,

with snow topping 108.6 inches in 2014–2015.1

Polar vortex became a buzzword in 2014 as

Americans experienced record-low temperatures.

NYC’s Central Park broke a 118-year record

when temperatures dropped to 4 degrees.2

TOP WINTER WORRIES

A strong nor’easter. A Category 3, 4 or 5 hurricane. The unbearably cold Midwestern wind chill. Weather can be serious and scary, quickly causing panic in communities.

Extreme winter weather can strain power systems. What if we lose power?

If a grid goes down, will alternative heat sources be available? Will I have water? Food? The medications and supplies I need to ride out a storm?

Hypothermia, frostbite and car accidents all increase in treacherous winter-storm conditions. How can I avoid these challenges?4

WEATHER FORECAST FOR 2016

This year’s El Niño already is one of the strongest on record — NASA climatologist Bill Patzert recently declared it “too big to fail.”5

Expect above-average precipitation from Southern California to Florida and up the East Coast to Maine. There also is a higher threat for severe weather near the Gulf Coast.

A unique feature of the upcoming winter, compared with other strong El Niño winters of the past, is the expected persistence of the warmer-than-normal ocean temperatures south of Alaska. This weather pattern, also known as “the Blob,” is associated with extended periods of warm, dry weather in the West and two of the coldest winters in recent memory farther to the east, especially in the Great Lakes and the Northeast. If “the Blob” persists through the upcoming winter, the threat of a cold conclusion to winter in the East will increase.6

CONSIDER “THE BLOB”

COMMUNICATION IS KEY

Send out a communication to customers before storm

season, advising them to put together emergency prep kits.

Prepare customers for what to do in severe storm weather.

How can they expect to receive updates from you? How should

they reach out to you?

Collect the latest contact information for your customers,

including home phone, cell phone, email address and

communication preferences.

2 http://www.foxnews.com/weather/2014/01/08/polar-vortex-spreads-into-eastern-southern-us/3 http://insideenergy.org/2014/08/18/power-outages-on-the-rise-across-the-u-s/4 http://www.inquisitr.com/1790125/snowmageddon-2015-survival-tips-from-americas-top-preparedness-experts/

“”...

SEVERE WEATHER

Homeowners are advised to prepare accordingly when the weather turns. Utility companies need to do the same.

COMMUNICATE EARLY EDUCATE CUSTOMERS UPDATE CONTACTS

© 2015 Experian Information Solutions, Inc. • All rights reserved

Experian and the Experian marks used herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of Experian Information Solutions, Inc. Other product and company names mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners.

This information is for educational purposes only. It is not intended to be nor should it be relied upon as legal advice. If you have questions about the information contained herein, you should consult your own legal and compliance departments.