With winter coming, New York State Electric & Gas and Rochester Gas & Electric are urging customers to be prepared for any potential storms that could cause outages, especially people who rely on life-saving equipment at home.

The electric companies are reminding those who use oxygen tanks to keep them charged.

“In the event of a storm, we want all of our customers to be prepared, but especially those who rely on life-sustaining equipment,” Jennifer Pearce, vice president of reliability assurance and emergency management for NYSEG and RG&E’s parent Company Avangrid, said in a statement. “NYSEG and RG&E have benefits and services that can help customers with critical support when they need it most.”

The companies also remind customers to make sure their current cell phone number is on file, as they utility company uses a texting service to notify them ahead of storms and get updated information during outages.

Residents are also asked to perform routine maintenance on their home generators to ensure they are ready to work properly during a power outage.

Visit RG&E's website for more information.