TL;DR: Dothan Utilities kept Dispatch staffed through Hurricane Isaias, asked customers to report outages and downed trees at 334-615-3302 and check outage.dothan.org, and about 7,000 customers were without power at 8:00 PM on Oct. 9, 2026.

Dothan Utilities activated its storm reporting plan as Hurricane Isaias moved toward the Wiregrass, telling customers in Dothan, Alabama exactly where to call, where to watch restoration progress, and how to avoid electrical hazards during and after the storm, according to the City of Dothan Alert Center.

The guidance came in two City of Dothan announcements on Oct. 9, 2026. A 10:00 AM notice titled “Dothan Utilities Provides Power Outage Reporting Information and Safety Tips Ahead of Hurricane Isaias” laid out reporting channels and electrical safety steps ahead of landfall effects. An 8:00 PM update titled “City of Dothan Provides Hurricane Isaias Utility and Roadway Update” said the storm was then impacting the Wiregrass area, with crews responding to storm-related issues and working to address hazards as conditions allowed.

That evening update gave the newest verified outage figure for this news day. As of 8:00 PM on 10/9/2026, approximately 7,000 Dothan Utilities customers were without power due to storm-related outages, according to the City of Dothan Alert Center. The city said crews were assessing damage and working to restore service as safely and efficiently as possible, with restoration times varying with extent of damage, weather conditions, and accessibility to affected areas.

Dispatch stayed staffed for outage and tree reports

Dothan Utilities Dispatch was to remain staffed throughout the storm to receive reports of power outages and downed trees affecting utility service, according to the City of Dothan Alert Center.

Customers who lost power or needed to report a downed tree related to utility service were directed to contact Dothan Utilities Dispatch at 334-615-3302. The same number was listed for electrical hazards, including downed power lines that did not present an immediate threat to life or safety.

Coverage described by the city focused on Dothan and the Wiregrass. A report summarized by Dothan Local on Oct. 10, 2026 said Dothan Utilities was reminding customers in Dothan and the Wiregrass how to report power outages and downed trees as Hurricane Isaias approached, based on the City of Dothan announcement posted Oct. 9, 2026.

For preparedness planning, the key lesson is centralization. One published dispatch number handled outages, tree contacts involving utility service, and non-emergency electrical hazards. Residents did not need to guess which department owned a wire or pole problem during the storm window; the city routed those contacts to Dispatch.

Outage map, city app, and official channels

Customers could also monitor reported power outages and view restoration updates through the Dothan Utilities outage map at https://outage.dothan.org/, according to the City of Dothan Alert Center.

The address was repeated in both the morning safety notice and the evening utility and roadway update, making it the consistent public window for reported outages and restoration information. Reporting by Wiregrass Daily News on Oct. 9, 2026 likewise listed outage.dothan.org as the location for reported outages and restoration updates.

The evening update added broader information channels. The City of Dothan encouraged residents to monitor official City communication channels for updates regarding storm impacts, road closures, and utility restoration, according to the City of Dothan Alert Center.

Residents could also download the City of Dothan app to receive City announcements and weather-related notifications directly on mobile devices. For latest information, the city listed www.dothan.org and the City of Dothan official social media channels, and said the city would continue to monitor conditions and provide updates as additional information became available.

The city’s general contact listing identified City of Dothan at 126 N Saint Andrews Street, Dothan, AL 36303, with mailing address P.O. Box 2128, Dothan, AL 36302, and phone 334-615-3000. That general city number was separate from the storm-specific utility Dispatch line at 334-615-3302.

Treat every fallen line as energized

The core electrical warning was direct. Residents were told to stay away from downed power lines and always assume a fallen power line is energized and dangerous, according to the City of Dothan Alert Center.

The notice said never to touch or approach the line or anything in contact with it, including trees, fences, vehicles, or standing water. That contact list matters for storm cleanup because wind can push limbs, fencing, cars, and pooled water into contact with a wire.

Wiregrass Daily News, in its Oct. 9, 2026 report by Veronica Adams, carried the same warning in quoted form: “Always assume a fallen power line is energized and dangerous,” with instruction never to touch or approach a downed line or anything touching it.

From a preparedness standpoint, the action is avoidance before assessment. The city did not ask residents to test, move, insulate, or photograph wires. It instructed distance, assumption of danger, and prompt reporting.

When to call Dispatch and when to call 911

Downed power lines were to be reported immediately, with two different numbers depending on danger level, according to the City of Dothan Alert Center.

For electrical hazards without an immediate threat to life or safety, the instruction was to contact Dothan Utilities Dispatch at 334-615-3302. If a downed line presented an immediate threat to life or safety, residents were told to call 911.

The evening update repeated that split. It directed electrical hazard reports to Dothan Utilities Dispatch at 334-615-3302 and said to call 911 if there was an immediate threat to life or safety.

Dothan Local, summarizing the city announcement on Oct. 10, 2026, also described that structure: report downed lines to Dispatch at 334-615-3302, call 911 if a downed line presents an immediate threat to life or safety.

For households building a storm contact card, that distinction is the operational detail. Dispatch handles utility hazards and outage intake; 911 handles imminent danger. The city did not present 911 as the routine outage line.

Leave trees and debris near wires to trained crews

Residents were told never to attempt to remove trees or debris near power lines, according to the City of Dothan Alert Center. The work was to be left to trained utility personnel and emergency responders.

Wiregrass Daily News carried the same instruction as a direct advisory from Dothan Utilities: “Never attempt to remove trees or debris near power lines,” with the explanation that the work should be left to trained utility crews and emergency responders.

The evening storm update restated the point in broader terms. It said residents should never approach downed power lines or attempt to remove trees or debris near electrical equipment, and that all downed power lines should be considered energized and dangerous.

That guidance applies during chainsaw cleanup, when pressure to clear a driveway is high. The city’s position was that proximity to electrical equipment changes the task from homeowner cleanup to utility and emergency response.

Generator placement rules for carbon monoxide risk

Portable generator safety was a separate section of the city notice, focused on carbon monoxide poisoning risk.

The city advised operating portable generators outdoors, well away from windows, doors, and vents, according to the City of Dothan Alert Center. It said never to operate a generator inside a home, garage, or enclosed space because of carbon monoxide risk.

Wiregrass Daily News repeated that placement rule and the enclosed-space prohibition on Oct. 9, 2026. Dothan Local, in its Oct. 10, 2026 summary of the city announcement, likewise said the city advised operating portable generators outdoors and away from windows, doors, and vents, never inside a home, garage, or enclosed space.

For outage readiness, the practical takeaway is location first, then power. A generator placed in a garage with the door open, near a cracked window, or beside a vent does not meet the city’s described standard. The approved location described was outdoors and separated from openings that can carry exhaust indoors.

If a line falls on your vehicle

The city included specific driving and vehicle-entrapment instructions under its “exercise caution when driving” guidance, according to the City of Dothan Alert Center.

If a power line fell on a vehicle, occupants were told to remain inside unless there was an immediate danger, such as a fire. They were told to call 911 and wait for emergency personnel.

If exiting became necessary because of immediate danger, the city described a precise exit and movement method. Occupants should jump clear without touching the vehicle and ground at the same time, then shuffle away with feet together.

That sequence was repeated across coverage. Wiregrass Daily News said occupants should stay inside unless there is immediate danger such as fire, call 911 and wait, and if they must leave, jump clear without simultaneous vehicle-ground contact and then shuffle away with feet together. Dothan Local summarized the same stay-inside-unless-fire, call-911, jump-clear-and-shuffle procedure from the city announcement.

The point for vehicle kits is procedural memory. Staying inside preserves separation from energized metal and ground. Calling 911 brings trained personnel. The jump-and-shuffle exit is only for immediate danger, not for convenience or faster evacuation.

Roads, travel, and restoration expectations

The 8:00 PM update said several roadways were impacted by fallen trees, downed power lines, and other storm-related debris, according to the City of Dothan Alert Center. Motorists were urged to avoid traveling on roadways at that time.

The city encouraged residents to remain indoors when possible and avoid unnecessary travel during hazardous conditions. It asked for patience as crews worked to restore power and clean up downed lines and debris.

On restoration, the city said crews were assessing damage and working to restore service as safely and efficiently as possible. It said restoration times could vary depending on extent of damage, weather conditions, and accessibility to affected areas.

Those three variables — damage extent, weather, and access — explain why one neighborhood can return quickly while another waits. Fallen trees blocking roads, live wires holding an area closed, and continuing storm bands all affect crew entry. The city did not publish a fixed restoration time in the material available for this news day.

Sources referenced