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PREPARATION

• Keep trees and shrubbery trimmed during the season, well away from electrical supply lines. Cut weak branches that could fall on property, and trim foliage to allow for a flow of air.
• Dispose of branches and debris that could become deadly, wind-driven missiles. The main cause of outages is overgrown trees interfering with FKEC lines.
• Check that all battery-operated energy equipment is in working order – flashlights, radios, etc. – and keep a good supply of spare batteries and bulbs on hand. Keep in touch with NOAA weather broadcasts.
• Stock non-perishable foods that can be eaten without cooking by electricity.
• Stash away some cash in small denominations. Credit card pay slots at gas stations and ATM machines won’t work without electricity.
• If you or a family member require electricity for life support equipment, discuss it with your physician.

BEFORE THE STORM

• Fill your vehicle’s gas tank. If power is cut off, filling stations may not be able to operate pumps.
• Check emergency cooking materials.
• You will need a manual can opener.
• Turn your refrigerator and freezer to the coldest settings so perishables will last longer.
• Unplug your television before taking down your antenna. When lowering a CB radio antenna, telescope it down and lower it away from power lines to protect yourself from electrocution.

DURING ELECTRICAL STORMS AND HURRICANES

• Consider turning off circuit breakers before the power goes off. Power surges and spikes can damage electronic equipment. Also, broken or shorted wires become fire hazards when the power returns. You may want to leave one breaker on that feeds a lamp so you will know when power is restored.
• When the power goes out, use flashlights during the storm, not candles or kerosene lamps.
• If you are outside, seek shelter in a solid building or, as a last resort, inside a vehicle.
• Stay well away from water and off beaches. If caught in a boat, keep low down in the center, but away from metallic objects.
• If there is no shelter around, avoid the highest objects such as wire fences, exposed sheds and metallic electricity conductive items. Keep away from trees and the area in which they can fall.
• Familiar objects like tennis racquets, golf clubs, cleated shoes and fishing rods are all lightning conductors.

While working

• Do not construct fences, telephone or power lines, pipelines, structural steel fabrications or rooftops. Do not operate in elevated places.
• Stop tractor work and heavy construction operations, especially when touching metal equipment. Do not seek shelter under the machinery. Tractors and other implements in metallic contact with the ground are prone to lightning strikes
• Don’t shelter in a carport or an open garage. Indoors, stay away from open doors and windows, metal pipes, sinks and electrical devices. Unplug major appliances such as televisions and air conditioners. Do not use the telephone during the storm unless in an emergency; especially avoid the phone if you hear thunder. Stay away from water-related activities such as bathing, washing clothes, etc.
• When a power line falls across a car you are occupying, stay in the vehicle until utility personnel arrive to check the line. Remember that it could be live. If an emergency situation exists and you must leave the car, use this procedure: Jump from the vehicle and hop away, making sure only one foot at a time is on the ground. Never touch the vehicle and the ground simultaneously. Keep away from an unoccupied car; it may be electrically charged.
• Persons struck by lightning receive a severe electrical shock and may be burned, but they carry no electrical charge and can be handled safely. Prompt CPR can often revive lightning victims.

PORTABLE POWER GENERATORS

• Before using an RV or portable generator, it is important that you turn off the electricity at your home’s main circuit breaker or fuse box to disconnect your home from the power grid. If not disconnected, power can flow into outside utility lines and could even injure a neighbor if power from your generator flows to another house.
• When electric service is restored, prevent damage to your generator by disconnecting it before turning on the power to your home.
• When using a portable generator, make certain it is properly ventilated. A portable generator should be used only outside the home. Breathing accumulated carbon monoxide fumes inside your home will cause serious lung damage and can even cause death.

AFTER THE STORM

• Don’t touch loose or dangling wires. Report such damage to FKEC or the nearest police station.
• Guard against spoiled food in refrigerators if power has been off any length of time.
• Drive vehicles cautiously. Avoid downed power lines. Debris-filled streets are dangerous, so keep your eyes on the road. Along the coast, soil may be washed from beneath the pavement, causing it to collapse under the weight of vehicles.
• Avoid walking or driving in water that may be "alive."

Flooded electrical conduits can be flushed out with dishwashing detergent to eliminate saltwater residue, followed by vacuum suctioning.

A CERTIFIED ELECTRICIAN SHOULD BE PRESENT TO ENSURE THAT NO CURRENT IS FLOWING.

This same precaution applies to meters that have been under water.