Now that summer is in full swing, many of us welcome more opportunities to be outdoors and enjoy the warmer weather. Summertime brings favorite activities like cooking out with family and friends, afternoons on the water, and simply slowing down a bit to enjoy life.
But summer months also make conditions right for dangerous storms, which can wreak havoc on our electrical system. But we want you to know that Trinity Valley Electric Cooperative’s crews are ready to respond should power outages occur in our area.
When major storms knock out power, our line crews take all necessary precautions before they get to work on any downed lines. We encourage you to also practice safety and preparedness to protect your family.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency offers these recommendations as a starting point for storm and disaster preparedness.
- Stock your pantry with a three-day supply of nonperishable food, such as canned goods, energy bars, peanut butter, powdered milk, instant coffee, water and other essentials, such as diapers and toiletries.
- Confirm that you have adequate sanitation and hygiene supplies, including 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 a battery-powered radio or TV.
- Organize emergency supplies so they are easily accessible.
- In the event of a prolonged power outage, turn off major appliances, TVs, computers and other sensitive electronics. This will help avert damage from a power surge and will also help prevent overloading the 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 generator, make sure it’s rated to handle the amount of power you will need and always operate it safely, including the proper use of a transfer switch.
We hope we don’t experience severe storms this summer, but we can never predict Mother Nature’s plans. At TVEC, we recommend that you act today because there is power in planning.
