SCE Storm Prep Plus Tips for Customers

SCE and their team of meteorologists have been monitoring Hurricane Hilary. While the storm is expected to weaken as it travels northward due to the cooler waters, they expect high winds and heavy rain. Rain is expected to begin on Saturday, with the most significant impacts occurring Sunday and Monday, according to the press release.

They’ve been planning ahead for this storm event and have positioned additional personnel, which includes restoration and repair crews, in areas that are expected to receive the most significant impacts. This will allows us to respond to outages in affected areas as quickly as we can safely do so.

SCE has activated its emergency response teams and will be staffed through the weekend. Here is a link with more information on our preparations. You can also find the latest information about outages on their website, Facebook, and Twitter.

Safety tips to prepare for a storm below:

• Watch for traffic signals that may be out. Approach those intersections as four-way stops.
• Watch for downed power lines – Severe weather can cause power lines to fall. They can electrify puddles, wet grass and the surrounding area.
• If you see a downed power line or dangling wire – even if it appears not to be live – don’t touch or approach it or anything that is in contact with it and call 911 immediately.
• As some areas have experienced heavy rain and snow for weeks, flooding may be possible. Do not attempt to drive through flooded areas. As little as two feet of water is enough to sweep a car away.
• Freeze water and transfer to your refrigerator if the power goes out to keep perishables cold.
• Install surge protectors to help safeguard valuable electronic equipment, such as computers and home entertainment systems.
• Always back up important work and files on your computer.
• If you have an automatic garage door or gate, learn how to open them manually (without power).
• Consider keeping at least one car at least half full with fuel.
• Portable gasoline generators should never be used inside homes, garages, office buildings or other enclosed spaces.
• Make a safety preparedness plan for your family that includes a list and location of important items. Be prepared to meet the special needs of infants and elderly or disabled family members. Also plan how you will care for any pets.

Written by Jeff Monford, contributions added by Pristine Villarreal.