How to prepare for hurricane season

We are officially in the midst of the Atlantic hurricane season, and since Hurricane Dorian just swept through the Bahamas and much of the Southeast, we figured now’s the perfect time to brush up on the ways you can keep you and your family safe during severe weather. Hurricanes are most active in September and can affect areas more than 100 miles inland, so it’s important to take steps now to ensure you are best prepared to face the elements. We’ve put together a list of tips on how you can stay safe this hurricane season:

BEFORE THE STORM

• Create an emergency kit filled with essentials.
• Make plans for evacuation or where to seek shelter.
• Pay attention to emergency information and alerts.
• Connect with EnergyUnited on social media to stay informed about weather, outages and other information.

DURING THE STORM

• Stay indoors and avoid contact with floodwaters.
• Report power outages.
• Stay away from any downed power lines or anything touching them. Please report any downed lines or poles to us.
• Use your phone for emergencies only.
• Don’t open your refrigerators or freezers, so they can remain cold as long as possible to keep food fresh.
• During storms or power outages, turn off as many of your appliances and electronics as possible.

AFTER THE STORM

• Stay away from downed power lines, trees and debris.
• If evacuated, return only when authorities say it is safe to do so.
• Even if weather conditions have improved, you should assume any power line you see is energized and dangerous. Stay away and be sure to report any outages or downed power lines at 1-800-EUNITED.