Tornadoes can be unexpected, fast moving and devastating. High winds can ravage homes and businesses, and essentially wipe power lines off the map.
That’s why North Carolina’s electric cooperatives are working long before any severe weather arrives to ensure outages and restoration time are minimized. Throughout the year, we maintain clear rights-of-way, trimming trees and vegetation along power line corridors that could create outages and hinder restoration efforts. Should severe weather become an imminent threat, electric co-op power restoration crews stand ready to restore any outages as soon as conditions are safe.
Take some time to make sure you’re also prepared when tornado warnings are issued, using these resources as a guide. Contact your local electric cooperative with any tornado or severe weather-related questions not answered here.
Before
During
- Stay tuned to your cooperative and local news sources for information about power outages, weather conditions and safety messages.
- Get inside a building and stay away from the windows.
Should a power outage occur:
- Report the outage to your electric cooperative
- If you use candles, don’t leave them unattended and keep them away from furniture, draperies and other flammable materials. Make sure to keep children away from open flames.
- Don’t open freezers and refrigerators any more than absolutely necessary.
- Turn off your heating and air conditioning systems, as well as electric range, to avoid straining the grid when service is restored.
- Unplug sensitive electronic appliances such as TVs, DVRs, microwave ovens and computers — this will protect your appliances against power fluctuations that can occur when power is restored.
- After power is restored, wait five to 10 minutes before turning on appliances and heating systems.
—Source: Ready.gov
