Just under a year ago, our little corner of the world was forever changed by a devastating tornado that tore through our town and across our service territory. As we once again enter the spring storm season, I want to assure you that Farmers Electric is prepared for whatever severe weather may come our way over the next few months.

Unfortunately, there is only so much we can do in advance of a storm to prevent outages, downed lines, or other damage. But you can be certain that our line crews are on high alert with any approaching storm and have our trucks and gear ready to go out as soon as it is safe to do so. Once boots hit the ground, our linemen work as quickly and safely as possible to restore the power you depend on.

There are a few things you can do, as well, to make sure you and your family have what they need while the power is out:

• Stock your pantry with at least a 3-day supply of non-perishable food, water, and other essentials like diapers and toiletries including hand sanitizer.
• Stock your First Aid kit with pain relievers, bandages or other medical essentials, and make sure your prescriptions are current.
• Check that flashlights have fresh batteries.
• In the event of a prolonged power outage, turn off major appliances, TVs, computers and other sensitive electronics. This will help avert damage from potential power surges and will also help prevent overloading circuits during power restoration. That said, do leave one light on so you will know when power is restored.
• Listen to local news or a NOAA Weather Radio for storm and emergency information, and check Farmers Electric’s Facebook page for restoration updates.

Severe storms can occasionally bring down power lines. If you see a downed line, always assume it’s energized and never approach it. If flooding occurs, never walk through areas where power lines could be submerged.

Advance planning for severe storms or other emergencies can reduce stress and anxiety caused by the weather event and lessen the impact of the storm’s effects.

I hope we don’t experience damaging storms over the spring and summer months, but we can never predict Mother Nature’s plans. At Farmers Electric, we recommend that you make a plan today–because storm preparedness is always our best defense.