Hundreds of Georgia Power employees are working to restore power as Hurricane Frances continues to impact areas of Georgia and Florida and cause widespread power outages. Georgia Power had about 14,000 customers without power as of 10 a.m. on Labor Day and has more than 325 people working on restoration efforts. The damage is widespread with more than 400 cases of trouble that have to be fixed to restore power.

Georgia Power has assembled restoration crews into several “A-Teams” from headquarters located in the northern, non-impacted area of the state. A-Teams consist of 20-25 linemen, engineers and technical support employees and 10-12 bucket trucks and supply trucks. Six Georgia Power A-Teams from metro Atlanta and north Georgia traveled Sunday and Monday to impacted areas in Brunswick, Valdosta and Bainbridge.

Georgia Power continues to monitor the weather associated with Frances that is still causing damage in the South Georgia area. Georgia Power crews will continue to work to restore power until all customers in Georgia have service. Final estimates for restoration will not be available until Frances moves on and a final damage assessment can be completed.

A total of about 174 Georgia Power people have deployed to South Georgia, in addition to the 150 people that are already working in the impacted areas. Additionally, Georgia Power has about 240 contract linemen and 20 tree personnel. Georgia Power has another 100 tree crews, 300 people, on standby.

Georgia Power’s mobile storm command centers and supply trailers are staged in Perry, Ga. and will most likely be moved to Florida to assist with restoration once power is restored to Georgia Power customers.

In accordance with a plan known as the Southeastern Electric Exchange Mutual Assistance Agreement, Georgia Power will restore service to Southern Company customers first and then send crews to assist other utilities that request help.

In the event of a major power outage, Georgia Power’s first priority is to restore electricity to emergency agencies, such as police and fire departments, and hospitals. The next priority is to restore power safely to as many customers as possible with each repair.

Here are some safety tips for customers to follow when severe weather hits:

Residents who have a life-threatening medical emergency should call 911.

Always avoid downed power lines. Any downed line should be considered energized and therefore dangerous. Report downed lines immediately to local public safety authorities and stay out of the immediate area.

Avoid debris lying on the ground that may conceal downed power lines, and make sure there are no downed lines before allowing children out to play.

Steer clear of Georgia Power crew work areas. Equipment and energized lines may be in the area and could create a safety hazard.

When driving, watch for crews working along the roadways, and obey all traffic signs and directions around work areas.

If possible, when leaving your home and power is off, turn off the main breaker as a precaution to avoid a power surge once the power is restored.

Don’t attempt to make repairs to Georgia Power’s electrical system or pull limbs off lines.

Be patient. Be assured that Georgia Power crews are working as quickly and safely as possible to restore power to customers.

Customers should use extreme caution if using candles during a power outage. Always keep candles away from flammable objects, and never leave them burning unattended.

If the weather interrupts electrical service, customers are urged to call the Customer Care Center at 1-888-891-0938. This line is answered by an automated system designed to handle power outage calls; however, customers may also talk directly with a customer service representative. The most efficient way for customers to report outages is to leave all information on this system.