In addition to trimming trees, your electric cooperative has a vegetation control plan to help keep the Right of Ways clear of brush. Not only is it important that trees do not interfere with the utility lines, our linemen must be able to access the line area. We live in the Ozarks for the beautiful, scenic land, but that can also be a hindrance if not property cleared to allow access for linemen and crews to assess outage issues and repairs when needed.

Looking for ways to save on your energy bill? Seal your windows to prevent air leaks and check membersfirst.coop/weatherization and our Energy Tips for more ways to save. Serious about it? You should consider a Home Energy Audit to identify your home's target areas.

The latest issue of Rural Missouri magazine (including HOEC's The Power Line pages) is available to view online now right here.

You can't control factors like the weather, but small changes can help prevent big electric bills, or at least help you understand why sometimes the bill goes up. Avoid potential bill shock by listening to the Power for Your Life podcast. Hear Sean Vanslyke and Angie Byford, from SEMO Electric Cooperative, discuss strategies to help members take control of their energy usage and share some low-cost energy savings tips. https://membersfirst.coop/avoiding-bill-shock.

Watch this one-minute video to learn five great ways to help keep you and others safe during harvest.

Properly controlled burns can have benefits for agricultural land. However, if these burns are not managed safely, they can cause property damage, power outages, injury and even death. Learn how to manage controlled burns safely.

September is National Preparedness Month. Plan for disasters and emergencies that could happen any time. Prepare an emergency kit and stay safe during outages and develop a preparedness plan with www.ready.gov/plan.