Spring is on our doorstep, and like many of you, I’m looking forward to more opportunities to be outdoors and enjoy warmer weather. Springtime brings many of my favorite activities, like cooking out with family and fishing.

Unfortunately, spring and summer can also create the perfect conditions for severe storms.

JOEMC crews are always prepared and standing by to respond should power outages occur in our area. When severe storms cause power disruptions, our crews take all necessary precautions before they work on downed lines.

I encourage you also to practice safety and preparedness to protect your family during storms and outages.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency recommends the items below as a starting point for storm and disaster preparedness, but you can visit ready.gov for additional resources:

• Stock your pantry with a three-day supply of non-perishable food, including canned goods, energy bars, peanut butter, powdered milk, instant coffee, water, and other essentials (i.e., diapers and toiletries)
• Confirm that you have adequate sanitation and hygiene supplies, including soap and hand sanitizer
• Ensure your First Aid kit is stocked with pain relievers, bandages, and other medical essentials and that your prescriptions are current.
• Set aside essential household items you will need, including flashlight batteries, a manual can opener, and a portable, battery-powered radio or TV.
• Organize emergency supplies so they are easily accessible in one location.

And Don’t Forget…

• I f you plan to use a portable generator, ensure it’s rated to handle the power you need. Always review the manufacturer’s instructions to operate it safely, especially the part about operating the generator outdoors and locating it away from your home as far as possible.
• Listen to local news or a NOAA Weather Radio for storm and emergency information, and check the co-op’s Facebook page for restoration updates.
• Severe storms can 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 or drive through floodwaters.

Advance planning for severe storms or other emergencies can reduce stress and anxiety caused by weather events and lessen the storm’s impact. Sign up for NOAA emergency alerts and warnings, and follow us on Facebook for the latest power restoration updates. If you experience an outage, please don’t report it on Facebook — call our office at (910) 353-1940 or go to the outage hub at joemc.com — this is the fastest way to let us know if your power is out.

I hope we don’t experience severe storms over the spring and summer months, but we can never predict Mother Nature’s plans. I recommend you plan today as storm preparedness is always the best defense.