Be Ready for Storm Season
Spring is at our doorstep and like many of you, I’m looking forward to more opportunities to be outdoors and enjoy warmer weather. Springtime brings many of my favorite activities like cooking out with family and friends, time spent working in the yard, and simply slowing down a bit to enjoy life.
Unfortunately, spring and summer can also create the perfect conditions for severe storms. Rio Grande Electric Cooperative (RGEC) crews are always prepared and standing by to respond should power outages occur in Co-op country. When severe storms cause power disruptions, our line crews take all necessary precautions before they get to work on any downed lines. I would encourage you to also practice safety and preparedness to protect your family during storms and outages.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency recommends the items below as a starting point for storm and disaster preparedness, but you can visit the Ready website for additional resources.
- Stock your pantry with a 3-day supply of nonperishable food, including canned goods, energy bars, peanut butter, powdered milk, instant coffee, water, and other essentials (i.e., diapers and toiletries).
- Confirm that you have adequate sanitation and hygiene supplies including towelettes, soap, and hand sanitizer.
- Ensure your First Aid kit is stocked with pain relievers, bandages, and other medical essentials, and make sure your prescriptions are current.
- Set aside basic household items you will need, including flashlights, batteries, a manual can opener, and a portable, battery-powered radio or TV.
- Organize emergency supplies so they are easily accessible in 1 location.
In the event of a prolonged power outage, turn off major appliances, TVs, computers, and other sensitive electronics. This will help avert damage from potential power surges and will also help prevent overloading circuits during power restoration. That said, do leave 1 light on so you will know when power is restored.
If you plan to use a permanent standby generator, make sure it’s rated to handle the amount of power you will need, and always review the manufacturer’s instructions to operate it safely. Additionally, it is important to report the installation of a permanent standby generator to RGEC by completing the application/notification form available on RGEC’s website. This is for the safety of line workers working in your areas.”
Severe storms can occasionally bring down power lines. If you see a downed line, always assume it’s energized and never approach it. If flooding occurs, never walk through areas where power lines could be submerged.
If you experience an outage, call us at (800) 749-1509, and check RGEC’s social media pages for outage updates.
I hope we don’t experience severe storms over the spring and summer months, but we can never predict Mother Nature’s plans. At Rio Grande Electric Co-op, crews are prepped and ready to roll out, because storm preparedness is always our best defense.