Plan ahead during National Preparedness Month
With the peak of Atlantic hurricane season here, Delmarva Power is observing September as National Preparedness Month to remind customers of the importance of being prepared for severe weather and other emergencies.
As part of its preparation efforts, Delmarva Power invests hundreds of millions of dollars each year modernizing the local energy grid and hardening its system against severe weather impacts. This work includes inspecting existing infrastructure, replacing aging infrastructure, trimming trees that could potentially impact the system, building new underground equipment, and installing smart technology that can automatically restore service more quickly or isolate damage. These efforts have resulted in the most reliable service in the company’s history in recent years.
“The safety of our customers and communities is our top priority,” said Gary Stockbridge, Delmarva Power region president. “We regularly prepare and conduct drills for severe weather, and coordinate closely with government and community partners to ensure we are ready to respond safely and quickly when our customers need us. National Preparedness Month is a great reminder for all of us that being prepared is a responsibility everyone should take seriously.”
To help customers plan and prepare for an emergency, Delmarva Power offers the following tips:
• Keep a flashlight with fresh batteries on each floor of the home.
• Identify an alternate location for the family in case of an extended outage.
• Review the manufacturer’s instructions for safe operation of a generator. Do not connect a generator directly to a home’s wiring. Never use a generator indoors or in any enclosed area.
• Follow the advice of local emergency management officials.
• Stay away from any storm-damaged electrical equipment, especially downed lines. Always assume downed lines are energized. Report a downed wire immediately by calling 1-800-898-8042.
If severe storms hit, Delmarva Power has many online resources to keep customers informed. The company’s interactive outage map and its mobile app provide customers information about outages across the company’s system and give an estimate of how quickly power is expected to be restored.
Launched in 2004, National Preparedness Month is sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Agency within the Department of Homeland Security. During the month, FEMA and DHS encourage Americans to prepare for emergencies in all facets of their lives.
To learn more about Delmarva Power, visit The Source, Delmarva Power’s online newsroom. Find more information at www.delmarva.com.
