Gulf Power Company is making preparations for Tropical Storm Debbie and is asking customers to plan for power outages as the storm moves slowly towards Northwest Florida.

“With a direct hit by a strong tropical storm or a category one hurricane, some areas could be without power for several days, depending on the damage,” said Jeff Rogers, Corporate Communications supervisor with Gulf Power. “We have storm-tested crews and a comprehensive response plan that we are prepared to put into action, but it does take time to safely put the electric system back together after a severe tropical storm or hurricane.”

 

The utility  has already made contact with its sister utilities, Mississippi Power, Alabama Power and Georgia Power, should it need to call on their resources for assistance.  Gulf Power will also be in contact with other utilities throughout the Southeast to either provide assistance or receive assistance, depending on where Debbie makes landfall.  

 

Rogers said Gulf Power encourages customers to prepare for the storm as well.  “The better prepared our customers are, the easier the restoration process will be for everyone,” Rogers said. “We prepare year-round for the unexpected, and we urge everyone to be prepared and have a plan.”

 

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 GulfPower.com, click on the “About Us” tab and scroll to “Storm Center.” This page will be prominently featured once a storm enters the Gulf of Mexico.

 

In addition, customers can follow updates on Gulf Power’s Facebook page or Twitter feed: www.facebook.com/gulfpowercompany or www.twitter.com/gulfpower.

 

Customers can also report outages on their mobile phone at www.gulfpower.com.

 

“Fortunately, we have a lot of experience in emergency restoration work,” Rogers said.  “We send crews to hurricane stricken areas almost every season to help out.  And we know we can count on that same help if we have a hurricane here.”

 

After Hurricane Ivan in 2004 Gulf Power brought in more than 5,000 outside workers who completed the major restoration process in less than two weeks. 

 

 

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.

·         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.

 

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

·         Turn your air conditioning down to cool down 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.

·         If your power goes out, turn off your air conditioning unit.  Wait a few minutes after the power is restored before turning your system back on.  This way every air conditioning system in your neighborhood will not come on at the same time, overloading circuits.  

·         Leave a porch light switched on so that utility crews will be able to determine immediately the success of specific repairs.

 

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 435,000 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.”

 

###