With constant severe storms threatening the Gulf Coast during the summer months, Gulf Power Company works diligently to restore power quickly when a storm damages wires and other equipment.

 

However, there are several things customers can do to prepare for a power outage caused by a severe storm or hurricane and to stay safe after a storm has passed.

 

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.

 

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

·         Turn your air conditioning down to cool your house before a hurricane. If you keep the doors and windows closed you can keep your house relatively cool for about 48 hours after the storm.  If your power goes out, turn your air conditioning unit off and wait several minutes after the power comes back on before turning it back on. This way, everyone’s air conditioner in your neighborhood will not come on the instant power is restored, which can overload circuits and cause the power to go out again.

·         Charge your cell phone before a hurricane — 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.

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 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.
 

·         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.

 

After a storm passes, call 1-800-GUPOWER (1-800-487-6937) and the automated system will take your information and report the outage to us. Customers that own a smart phone can also now report an outage through Gulf Power’s new mobile website. Simply log on to gulfpower.com on your smart phone and click on the “Log In” button on the left-hand side of the screen. Save it as an icon shortcut on your phone’s home screen for quick access.

 

Log on to gulfpower.com for more information on storm safety.

 

Gulf Power Company is an investor-owned electric utility with all of its common stock owned by Atlanta-based Southern Company. Gulf Power serves more than 430,000 customers in eight counties throughout Northwest Florida. The company’s mission is to safely deliver affordable, reliable and environmentally responsible electric service to our customers while working to improve the communities we serve. Visit online at GulfPower.com or on the company’s Facebook page, “Gulf Power Company.”
 

 

 

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