Utility indentification alert

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Utility Identification Alert

The City of Houston and CenterPoint Energy would like to remind Houstonians that CenterPoint contractors may come through your neighborhood to trim branches from utility lines. However, from time to time people do impersonate City of Houston or CenterPoint contractors or employees or law enforcement personnel in order to gain access to someone's home. Here are some important safety tips to avoid becoming the victim of an impersonator:

• The City of Houston itself does not hire contractors to trim tree limbs away from utility lines; CenterPoint does
• All CenterPoint Energy employees and contractors wear uniforms and carry identification badges. If the badges are not visible, they will show them upon request
• If a customer doubts whether or not someone is a CenterPoint Energy employee, ask to see his/her identification badge or call the company's call center at 713.207.2222 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 713.207.2222 end_of_the_skype_highlighting or 713.659.2111 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 713.659.2111 end_of_the_skype_highlighting to verify that CenterPoint Energy has an employee in the area
• All of CenterPoint Energy's vehicles are marked with the CenterPoint Energy logo
• In the majority of cases, it is NOT necessary for CenterPoint employees to enter the home as most of its work is done outside on power and natural gas lines. However, it IS necessary for CenterPoint's natural gas employees, when restoring gas service, to enter a home or business to relight pilots and ensure it is safe to resume natural gas service