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Be Ready for Storm Season

Preparedness is the Best Defense

Spring is on our doorstep and all of us are looking forward to more opportunities to be outdoors and enjoy the warmer weather. Unfortunately, spring and summer can also create the perfect conditions for severe storms.

Sussex REC crews are always prepared to respond should power outages occur in our area. When severe storms cause power disruptions, our line crews take all necessary precautions before they get to work on any downed lines.
I would encourage you to also practice safety and preparedness to protect your family during storms and outages.

• FEMA offers a guide at www.ready.gov on storm and disaster preparedness. Here are some key strategies that you can use as a starting point:

• Stock your pantry with a three-day supply of non-perishable food, including canned goods, energy bars, peanut butter, powdered milk, instant coffee, water, and other essentials (i.e., diapers and toiletries).

• Confirm that you have adequate sanitation and hygiene supplies like towelettes, soap, and hand sanitizer.

• Ensure your First Aid kit is stocked with pain relievers, bandages, and other medical essentials, and make sure your prescriptions are current.

• Set aside basic household items you will need, including flashlights, batteries, a manual can opener, and portable, battery-powered radio or TV.

During thunderstorms, it is best to unplug major appliances, TVs, computers, and other sensitive electronics to help avert damage from potential power surges and prevent overloading circuits during power restoration. That said, do leave one light on so you will know when power is restored.

If you plan to use a portable generator, ensure it’s rated to handle the power you will need, and always review the manufacturer’s instructions to operate it safely.

Listen to local news or NOAA Weather Radio for storm and emergency information, and check www.sussexrec.com for restoration updates. You can also follow us on Facebook or sign up for email alerts at www.sussexrec.com/email to receive updates during large outages.

Severe storms can occasionally bring down power lines. If you see a downed line, always assume it’s energized and never approach it. If flooding occurs, never walk through areas where power lines could be submerged.

You can never know how much damage a storm will cause. This past summer, a severe storm that lasted less than 10 minutes caused tree damage throughout the territory and outages that lasted for several days. Advance planning can reduce stress and anxiety caused by the weather event and lessen the impact of the storm’s effects.

We recommend that you make a plan today, because storm preparedness is always your best defense. When your power goes out, call our 24/7 outage reporting number at 877-504-6463. This is the fastest way to let us know if your power is out.