Severe weather can strike quickly and create a variety of dangerous situations. With this in mind, Upper Peninsula Power Company suggests these safety tips:

— Power lines: Always consider a power line to be energized even if it is on the ground. Do not touch a downed line or try to move it in any way. Call the police or your power company as soon as possible.

— Generators: An electric generator can be helpful during a power outage. However, there are still safety issues to consider. Be sure to disconnect your house from the power company’s system. Doing this will ensure the generator cannot feed electricity back into the system and protect workers who are working to restore service, as well as prevent the flow of electricity into nearby homes. Store fuel for generators in cool, well-ventilated spaces to lessen the chance of fire. Operate generators in ventilated spaces to guard against carbon monoxide poisoning.

— Storm checklist: Although power company crews will work around the clock to restore service, it is possible power may be out for an extended period after a particularly severe storm. To make outages as painless as possible, take a few minutes to assemble an emergency kit before it’s needed. Some useful items for the kit include flashlights; a battery-operated radio to hear weather forecasts and news bulletins; a first-aid kit; a supply of water and non-perishable food; and specialty items such as prescriptions, baby food and warm clothing.

— If the power goes out: Call your electric provider.

In the event of an outage, We Energies offers these additional tips:

— Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible.

— Use manual operation of garage door.

— Use flashlights, not candles.

— Go to safe shelter if your home is extremely cold or hot.

— Unplug or turn off appliances to avoid overloading when power is restored.

— Leave a single light on to alert you when power is restored.

— If your home is the only one in the neighborhood without power, check breakers/fuses.