Georgia Power encourages action during Severe Weather Awareness Week

ATLANTA, Feb. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Georgia Power is encouraging its 2.6 million customers to be severe-weather ready, as the company partners with the Georgia Emergency Management Agency and the National Weather Service for Severe Weather Awareness Week (SWAW), which will take place February 1 – 5. Because Georgia is susceptible to all types of severe weather, each day of the week will focus on a specific type of severe weather or preparedness action Georgia Power customers can take to help become storm ready.

Severe Weather Daily Schedule

• Feb. 1 - Family Preparedness - A well-built kit should contain enough supplies to get you and your family through three days without electricity or running water.
• Feb. 2 - Thunderstorm Safety - Downed trees are usually the cause of an outage after a storm. Never attempt to pull tree limbs off wires yourself.
• Feb 3 - Tornado Safety - The safest place in your home is the lowest level – the basement. If you don't have a basement, choose a small room away from windows, like a closet, hallway or bathroom. If your safest room is a first-floor bathroom, get in the tub and hold a mattress or cushions over your head for protection.
• Feb. 4 - Lightning Safety - Seek shelter inside away from doors and windows. Avoid electronic equipment of all types, including land line phones, as lightning can travel through electrical systems. Avoid indoor water use during a thunderstorm. Lightning can travel through plumbing.
• Feb. 5 - Flooding - Never attempt to walk or drive through flood waters. Water may appear shallow, but flooding can wash out deep holes or sweep people away. Downed wires can also be submerged in water or mud.

Georgia Power reminds customers to keep safety first when a storm is imminent and offers the following severe weather tips:

• Before a Storm:  Stay aware and check the weather forecast before heading outdoors. Check your emergency kit, and family plan. Unplug major appliances and charge cell phones in case you lose power.
• During a Storm: Take safe shelter inside a sturdy building away from windows and doors. Avoid contact with conductors of electricity - appliances, metal objects and water.
• After a Storm: Never touch any downed or low-hanging wire, including telephone or TV wires that touch a power line. Never pull tree limbs off of power lines yourself or enter areas with debris or downed trees as downed power lines may be buried in wreckage. Customers should call 911 or Georgia Power immediately if they see a fallen or low-hanging power line. 

Tools You Can Use to Prepare for Severe Weather Year-round

• @GeorgiaPower on Twitter – Follow @GeorgiaPower on Twitter for storm tips, outage updates and more.
• Outage Alerts – Subscribe to the free Georgia Power Outage Alert service to receive personalized notifications and updates via text message.
• Outage & Storm Center – Available at www.georgiapower.com/storm, customers can visit this site to sign up for Outage Alerts, report and check the status of outages, and access useful safety tips and information. Customers can report and check the status of an outage 24 hours a day by contacting Georgia Power at 888-891-0938. 
• Outage Map – Housed within the Outage & Storm Center, Georgia Power's interactive Outage Map provides near real-time information, allowing users to see where outages are occurring across the state and track estimated restoration times.
• Georgia Power Mobile App – Download the Georgia Power mobile app for Apple and Android devices to access storm and outage information on the go.
• Emergency Plan and Kit – Visit the Georgia Power storm page for information on how to build a family emergency plan and emergency supply kit. 

Georgia Power constantly monitors changing weather conditions and remains prepared to respond to any service interruptions that might occur because of severe weather. Customers can subscribe to Georgia Power's YouTube Storm Channel for the latest safety videos and can connect with Georgia Power on Facebook and Twitter for helpful information and restoration updates during severe weather.

About Georgia Power
Georgia Power is the largest electric subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO), America's premier energy company. Value, Reliability, Customer Service and Stewardship are the cornerstones of the Company's promise to 2.6 million customers in all but four of Georgia's 159 counties. Committed to delivering clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy at rates below the national average, Georgia Power maintains a diverse, innovative generation mix that includes nuclear, coal and natural gas, as well as renewables such as solar, hydroelectric and wind. Georgia Power focuses on delivering world-class service to its customers every day and the Company is recognized by J.D. Power as an industry leader in customer satisfaction. For more information, visit www.GeorgiaPower.com and connect with the Company on Facebook (Facebook.com/GeorgiaPower), Twitter (Twitter.com/GeorgiaPower) and Instagram (Instagram.com/ga_power).

SOURCE Georgia Power