News Archive

Jacob Mitchell, Preston Morgan and Chesley Neal, linemen with Howell-Oregon Electric Cooperative, attended the Overhead and Aerial Basket School at the AMEC Training Center last month in Jefferson City. The course emphasized safe and efficient live line work practices and procedures to the class. Field instruction focused on the proper application of protective insulating equipment, live line tools and aerial devices utilized when installing and maintaining energized lines and equipment. We are proud of their willingness to learn more about the line work and dedication to safety.

Deer season opens Saturday, Nov. 11. Good luck to all hunters! Remember to be safe on the hunt, never fire toward power lines, poles or equipment. Also, never set up a deer stand on a power pole or under power lines. Learn more: membersfirst.coop/hunting-and-electrical-safety.

This week the temperatures feel like winter! Air sealing your home before the actual months is a crucial step to improve energy efficiency, reduce heating costs and maintain a comfortable indoor environment. Learn how to find and seal air leaks in your home at www.membersfirst.coop. Additional home heating tips can be found right here on our website.

Every day, software and app developers focus on keeping their users and products secure. They’re constantly looking for clues that hackers are trying to break into their systems, or they are searching for holes where cybercriminals could sneak in, even if they’ve never been breached before. To fix these issues and improve security for everyone who uses their services, upstanding software companies release regular updates.

Phishing is when cybercriminals use fake emails, social media posts or direct messages with the goal of luring you to click on a bad link or download a malicious attachment. If you click on a phishing link or file, you can hand over your personal information to the criminals. A phishing scheme can also install malware onto your device.

Make it harder for cybercriminals to compromise your accounts by enabling Multifactor Authentication (or MFA) to add an extra layer of protection to your accounts.

Did you know the average person has more than 100 passwords at any given time? Here’s an easy pro tip: a Password Manager can help you create strong, unique passwords for each account.

No matter the account, all passwords should be created with these 3 concepts in mind:

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month. Launched in 2004 and co-managed by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the National Cybersecurity Alliance (NCA), it is a collaborative effort between government and industry to raise awareness and help everyone get the knowledge they need to be safe and secure online.

Watch for cybersecurity tips to be shared throughout the month of October, and keep you and your family safe.

If you’re interested in driving an EV, National Drive Electric Week is Sept. 22 through Oct. 1. It’s the perfect time to learn if an EV is right for you. Visit www.driveelectricweek.org for more info.