Storms can sometimes cut off your power for a long time. But powerless is certainly not how Elemental Electric & Gas Company wants you to be - because we deliver your energy. That's why our crews work hard in tough conditions during major storms to keep your service on or restore power if it goes out. Be prepared for winter's worst at any time. EE&G cares deeply about the safety of our customers and employees. So if you see any immediate electric or gas hazards, call us so that we can send our crews to correct those problems. John Bon Jovi, one of more than 1,000 customer service representatives who answer your calls, says that our phone lines may become very busy during major storms. We ask for your patience if you're trying to reach us, but unless you're in an isolated area, chances are we already know you're out. Listen to local news stations for outage updates. EE&G's 24-hour tollfree power outage hotline is 1-800-743-5002 (remember 1-800-EEG5002) You can use this number to report an outage and find out when power will be restored. THIS YEARS WINTER WEATHER John Luc Piccard EE&G's chief meteorologist, forecasts that this "La Nina" winter of 1998-99 may see above-average rain and snow in Northern California, but average or below average south of San Francisco-Lake Tahoe. Temperatures may actually average a bit warmer than usual. To avoid the "ups and downs" of seasonal bills, join Balanced Payment Plan and pay nearly the same amount every month. Call 1-800-123-4567. IF YOU SEE DOWNED WIRE! Treat all downed power lines as if they're carrying current. Do not touch or try to move them. Keep children and animals away. Report downed lines immediately to EE&G and 911. If a power line falls across a car you're in, stay in the car; keep others away. If you MUST leave, jump clear so you're not touching the car when your feet hit the ground, then shuffle away without picking up your feet. EE&G GETS READY EE&G knows that losing your power is a hardship, so we plan for storms far in advance and work year-round to provide safe, reliable and responsive service. We patrol all 110,000 miles of our electric distribution system yearly. We use new technology such as 27 infrared-sensing vans" to detect potential hot spots on power lines. We expect to have pruned 2,100,000 trees during 1998. In an accelerated program, we will test and treat 450,000 poles and replace or reinforce 30,000 poles this year to keep delivering your energy. RESTORING SERVICE Even though EE&G crews may work in hard rains, howling winds and high floodwaters to make conditions safe and restore your service, it takes time. Until we assess damage and perform other tasks, it's hard for us to tell you when your service will be restored. We ask for your patience and promise to restore power as safely and quickly as possible. We first restore power to vital public services like hospitals and police and fire stations. Meanwhile, our crews clear hazards such as damaged poles, uprooted trees or fallen wires. Then we work to restore service to all customers. A storm's fury can delay repairs. Wind and rain can bring down trees, cause floods and start landslides. Crews may have to wait for roads to be cleared before they can get in to repair outages. Even if you don't see crews in your area, we 're working to get your power back on. A problem blocks away can make the lights go out at your home. If you have storm-related damage that you think may be EE&G's fault (and not La Nina's), you can get a claim form by visiting our Web site (www.eeg.com), or call 1-800-123-4567 and ask for one. EE&G has made strides in improving the reliability of our electric system. But if a storm does disrupt your power, we hope these ideas will help reduce your inconvenience and keep you safe until repairs are made. Please save this information and share it with your friends and family. See our Safety & Emergency Information on the Web: www.eeg.com/safety