With hurricane season beginning on Sunday, Gulf Power Company wants their customers to be aware of all the ways to stay connected with the utility before, during and after a storm. Storms that enter the Gulf of Mexico can develop quickly, which makes it vital that residents start preparing now.

“We’ve introduced several tools that can help our customers quickly make informed decisions throughout hurricane season,” said Jeff Rogers, Gulf Power Corporate Communications manager. “These tools allow our customers to get real-time updates on the go about power outages at their homes or businesses.” 

• Live Power Outage Map: Gulf Power now has an online map that gives customers a quick view of the outages in Northwest Florida. Small triangles show where the power is out and provides more information, like the estimated time of when the power will be restored. Link: http://outagemap.gulfpower.com/external/default.html
• Gulf Power Outage App: This free app lets customers report or check on the status of an outage and access the Gulf Power outage map. The app is free and available for iPhone and Android. Just search for "Gulf Power" in iTunes or the Google Play Store. 

• Power Out Alerts: Gulf Power customers can now sign up for free to receive texts, emails or phone calls about power outages at a home or business. They can register on their cell phone by texting REG to MyGulf (694853) or they can go to the My Account area of MyGulfPower.com to choose whether to receive texts, emails or phone calls. The alerts let customers know if their power goes out in their home or business and gives them updates about power restoration.

When a storm threatens, Gulf Power readies its Storm Center to support advance preparation, damage assessment and power restoration.

“We prepare year-round for the unexpected, and our crews are among the best in the nation to restore electricity safely and quickly. But we urge everyone to be prepared and have a plan,” Rogers said. “We also urge residents to follow safety guidelines and thank them in advance for their patience.”

One way to help prepare for hurricanes is to visit Gulf Power’s Storm Center website, which contains information on how to prepare for hurricane season, along with safety and other storm survival tips. At MyGulfPower.com, click on the Community tab and select Storm Information. This page will be prominently featured once a storm enters the Gulf of Mexico.

The Gulf Power Storm Center website covers such subjects as Preparation and Safety, Restoration Process, Meter Box Damage, Generator Safety and Power Outage FAQs.

Some of the most critical issues are generator safety and power line safety.

Power line and generator safety tips from the Gulf Power Storm Center website:

• Treat any downed wire as if it is energized. You can't tell by looking if a downed wire is live or not. Telephone or cable television wires that are touching a power line could become energized and should also be avoided. Notify Gulf Power, your local emergency agency, or call 911 to report the location of any downed lines.
• Don't attempt to repair the electrical system or pull tree limbs off lines. Let trained work crews perform this potentially dangerous work.
• Stay clear of areas with substantial debris or downed trees because it could conceal an energized power line. Also stay clear of chain link fences, which may be energized if touching a downed line.
• Wait a reasonable time before calling Gulf Power if your entire neighborhood is without power.
• If you have an electric generator, please ensure that you have isolated your home or business from the utility electrical service lines by opening main breakers or other devices.
• Do not connect portable generators to your household electrical wiring. This can cause serious injury to you and to Gulf Power employees working on the lines in your neighborhood.
• Connect only essential appliances — such as freezers and refrigerators — directly to the generator.
• NEVER use a generator in enclosed or partially enclosed spaces. Generators can produce high levels of carbon monoxide very quickly. When you use a portable generator, remember that you cannot smell or see carbon monoxide.
• NEVER try to power the house wiring by plugging the generator into a wall outlet, a practice known as "back-feeding." This is an extremely dangerous practice that presents an electrocution risk to utility workers and neighbors served by the same utility transformer. It also bypasses some of the built-in household circuit-protection devices.

Storm tips from the Gulf Power Storm Center website:

• Turn your air conditioning down to cool your house before the storm. If you keep the doors and windows closed you can keep your house relatively cool for about 48 hours after the storm.
•  Charge your cell phone before the storm — and anything else that needs to be charged.
• Keep freezer doors closed and sealed. Well-filled freezers keep most foods frozen two to three days if the door is kept closed.
• Be prepared to disconnect or shut off any appliances that will turn on automatically when power is restored. When power is restored, appliances may overload your circuits or pose fire hazards.
• Leave a porch light switched on so that utility crews will be able to determine immediately the success of specific repairs.

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