Put Safety First During Winter Weather

Wake Electric is prepared to respond to any winter weather impacts, and you should also take steps to prepare before a storm appears in the forecast. Winter in North Carolina brings the potential for snow and ice and with that, the possibility of outages increase as power lines are weighed down by wintry precipitation. Be prepared by making safety a priority during power outages:

• Winter storms can bring down trees and power lines.
  Please remember to stay away from any downed lines
  (including power, telephone or cable) and call 911 to
  report them immediately.
• Do not touch any object that is in contact with downed
  power lines — especially objects that can transmit
  electricity such as water or metal.
• Never drive your car over power lines. If a power line
  falls over your vehicle while you are driving, stay inside
  your vehicle until you receive appropriate help.
• If you use a portable generator, isolate it from our
  power lines. Generators that are not isolated can feed
  back into the utility company’s electrical system and
  possibly electrocute anyone coming into contact with
  those wires.
• Be extra careful when using kerosene heaters and
  fireplaces.
• Limit refrigerator and freezer door openings to prevent
  food spoilage.
• Never use outdoor grills or gas-powered generators
  inside or in attached garages. This could lead to carbon
  monoxide poisoning, which can be deadly.
• Turn off large appliances that come on automatically
  as well as appliances you were using when the outage
  occurred. Disconnect sensitive electronics to avoid
  damage from surges or lightning strikes.
• In extreme weather, it’s better to keep off the roads
  unless it’s an absolute emergency. If you must travel,
  please be careful passing power restoration crews
  working. Because of the location of many power lines,
  utility employees frequently work along roadsides.
• If you see crews working in your area, please don’t
  go near them. They are working in dangerous
  surroundings. Your distraction could present a hazard to
  you and the crew and slow power restoration progress.

To learn more about how you can be prepared for inclement weather and power outages, visit: ncstormcenter.coop.