NC's Public Power Communities Prepare for Hurricane Earl

RALEIGH, N.C., Aug. 30 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As Hurricane Earl nears the coast of North Carolina, NC Public Power communities are preparing for possible outages. The Emergency Assistance Program has been activated and is ready to respond in outage areas.

Being prepared and planning ahead are critically important in remaining safe during storms. North Carolina Public Power communities have several tips to help:

Before the storm strikes

• Stock up on nonperishable food, medicine, baby supplies and pet food.
• Purchase bottled water; 1 gallon of water per person per day.
• Gather emergency supplies, such as flashlights, battery-operated radios, extra batteries, extension cords and emergency generators.
• Monitor official weather bulletins.
• Keep extra cash on hand.
• Review evacuation routes.
• Arrange for safe sheltering for your pet if you must evacuate. Public shelters usually do not accept pets.
• Keep your vehicle's fuel tank full.
• Move yard items and patio furniture inside. Even small items can become dangerous in high winds.
• If a family member uses life-sustaining medical equipment, develop an emergency plan for generating power or plan to relocate.

During the storm

• Turn off and unplug electrical appliances and equipment such as TVs and computers.
• Watch for downed wires. Stay back and consider all lines energized.
• Stay indoors in an interior room, away from windows.

Additional safety tips

• Check for electrical damage inside your home, such as frayed wires, sparks or the smell of burning insulation. If you find damage outside your home, such as to your meter box, don't turn your power on until an electrician inspects your system and makes necessary repairs.
• Do not connect a generator directly to your home's electrical system. It is dangerous to you, your neighbors and utility workers. Follow manufacturer's directions regarding connecting appliances directly to your generator. Use generators only outside in well-ventilated areas.

Public power customers should report any power outages or downed lines directly to their local utility.

For more information about NC Public Power and ElectriCities visit www.ncpublicpower.com and www.electricities.com

ElectriCities of North Carolina, Inc. (ElectriCities), North Carolina Municipal Power Agency Number 1 (NCMPA1), North Carolina Eastern Municipal Power Agency (NCEMPA) - More than 70 North Carolina public power communities, municipally owned and operated electric systems, serve more than 500,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers in North Carolina. ElectriCities' members in NC, SC and VA serve more than one million customers. Most have been providing reliable electric service for 100 years or more. ElectriCities is the service organization that provides customer service and safety training, emergency and technical assistance, communications, government affairs and legal services to public power communities. ElectriCities provides management services to the state's two municipal power agencies: NCMPA1 and NCEMPA. NCMPA1 has 19 member cities in the western part of North Carolina and NCEMPA has 32 member cities in eastern North Carolina. More information about ElectriCities is available at www.electricities.com. More information about the Power Agencies and NC Public Power is available at www.ncpublicpower.com

SOURCE ElectriCities of North Carolina