Texarkana Among Hardest-Hit Areas as Ice Storm Causes Widespread Outages
Approximately 17,000 customers across the ArkLaTex region were without power Saturday morning as Winter Storm Fern brought significant ice accumulation to the area, according to Southwestern Electric Power Company.
As of 10:30 a.m. Saturday, outages were reported across southern Arkansas, Northwest Louisiana, and Northeast and East Texas. SWEPCO officials said crews are actively assessing damage and restoring service where conditions permit.
The hardest-hit areas include DeQueen, Arkansas, and Texarkana, Atlanta, Henderson, and Carthage in Texas.
SWEPCO has mobilized more than 6,300 personnel to respond to the storm, including linemen and forestry crews. The utility has staged resources in Shreveport, Louisiana; Texarkana, Arkansas; and Longview, Texas. Mutual assistance crews from Indiana are already on site, with additional crews traveling from Florida, Michigan, Indiana, and California.
Ice accumulation has impacted power lines, trees, and equipment throughout the service area, creating hazardous conditions.
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SWEPCO officials urged the public to stay home and off roadways unless absolutely necessary, stating that clear roads allow first responders and utility crews to access work sites more safely and quickly. The company warned residents to avoid downed power lines and treat all wires as live.
Customers can report outages through the SWEPCO mobile app or online at swepco.com/outages/report. Downed power lines and safety hazards should be reported to the Customer Service Center at 888-218-3919.
Before the next one: a Texarkana storm kit
Ice storms here mean downed lines and multi-day outages more often than deep snow. The short list that covers most of it:
- A NOAA weather radio (Midland WR120B), so warnings reach you when the power and cell towers do not.
- A 20,000 mAh power bank, charged before the storm, for phones and the radio.
- A battery LED lantern instead of candles.
- Outdoor faucet covers and foam pipe insulation for exposed lines, the cheapest insurance against a burst pipe.
- Hand warmers and, if you heat with propane, an indoor-rated heater with a working carbon monoxide alarm. Never run a generator or grill indoors or in a garage.
Report outages to SWEPCO at swepco.com/outages/report or 888-218-3919.
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