SECO Energy Prepares for Potential Impacts of Helene

Helene is forecasted to be a Category 3 Hurricane. SECO Energy is closely monitoring the path and potential impacts of the impending storm system as it develops, preparing to respond quickly and safely should outages occur. 

Crews are fueling up and prepping trucks with all necessary supplies and materials for any outages that may occur as a result of the hurricane. SECO Energy has dedicated staff assigned to monitor the power system and weather on a daily, 24-hour basis. All other employees, including SECO Energy’s Member Services Center, are on high alert and ready to respond to member needs.

SECO Energy urges members to act now to make preparations to remain safe and comfortable in the event of an outage.  

How You Can Prepare:

• Assemble an emergency kit. It should include at least a three-day supply of water, non-perishable food, medication, first aid supplies, a flashlight, a weather radio, and extra batteries. Include a list of emergency contacts.
   
• Charge your cell phone and have external backup power sources charged.  
   
• Develop an evacuation plan in case it’s needed. Communicate the plan to your family. Include pets or livestock in your plan.  
   
• Secure outdoor items. Safely store lawn furniture, decorations, toys, garbage cans, and other items that can be brought indoors.  
   
• Close windows and doors in the event of high winds. 
   
• Fuel up. Fill up your vehicles before the storm, as a loss of power could affect gas stations. 
   
• Consider having supplies handy for your propane or charcoal grill. Be sure to grill outdoors in well-ventilated areas for safety.  
   
• If you operate a standby generator after a storm, be sure to follow the owner’s manual instructions and safety recommendations.

StormCenter  is SECO Energy’s outage and communications platform for members to view the outage map, report outages, check the status of an existing outage, report an area light malfunction, and enroll in outage communications and alerts via email, text, voice, or all three. Bookmark on your smartphone or tablet to report outages quickly and easily by going to SECOEnergy.com > StormCenter. 

As a reminder, if heavy rains and strong winds lead to downed lines, stay away! Contact with downed lines can be dangerous, even deadly. Report downed power lines to SECO Energy at (800) 732-6141 or call 911 immediately.

SECO Energy’s Hurricane Handbook includes generator safety tips and guidance on how to prepare before, during, and after a storm. It can be found by going to SECO Energy.com > Safety > Hurricane Handbook.