Before Tropical Storm Bonnie was a drizzle, Gulf Power was preparing for the 2010 storm season with annual drills and training.

 

The utility urges its customers to be prepared, too. Storms that enter the Gulf of Mexico can develop quickly which makes it vital that residents start preparing now.

 

“Living on the Gulf Coast, you always keep your guard up,” said Jeff Rogers, Gulf Power spokesperson. “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 plan wisely.”

 

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 some safety and other tips. At GulfPower.com, click on the “About Us” tab and scroll to “Storm Center.”

Gulf Power conducts an annual hurricane drill to test its response system. Gulf Power employees review and test contingencies, stockpile critical materials and have established contacts with numerous electric utility companies to summon if help is needed to restore power. Gulf Power checks critical points in the power grid to make sure equipment is in top shape and trees are trimmed.

The company follows a detailed plan to rebuild the electrical system following a hurricane and works closely with county Emergency Management personnel. Every Gulf Power employee has a storm assignment and if needed, the company brings in thousands of outside utility workers to help — often pre-positioning them to speed response.

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

Despite this, a direct strike from a tropical storm or hurricane can result in lengthy outages. Residents should also be prepared with critical supplies to help see them through this period.

“Gulf Power and Southern Company crews are very experienced and prepared for storm restoration, but it’s important that note that if we’re hit with a major storm, residents need to be prepared to go without electricity for a number of days or even weeks,” Rogers said. “We also urge residents to follow safety guidelines and to be patient. We want everyone to know we’re ready to help our community recover quickly.”

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

 

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

 

Here are some power line and generator safety tips from the Gulf Power Storm Center site:

·         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 where there is a lot of 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 customer service 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 our 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.

 

Here are some more storm tips from the Gulf Power Storm Center site:

·         Turn your air conditioning down to cool down your house. If you keep the doors and windows closed you can keep your house relatively cool for about 48 hours after the storm.

·         Charge up your cell phone before the storm — and anything else that needs to be charged up.

·         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.

Log on to: www.gulfpower.com

 

Gulf Power Company is an investor-owned electric utility that serves more than 428,000 customers in 10 counties throughout Northwest Florida. The company’s mission is to safely deliver affordable, reliable and environmentally responsible energy to very satisfied customers in strong communities.