Georgia Power offers electrical safety tips for Hurricane Irma evacuees

ATLANTA, Sept. 8, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- With Hurricane Irma expected to bring heavy rains and high winds to Georgia in the coming days, Georgia Power continues to monitor the changing weather around the clock and mobilize crews. The company is prepared to respond to this storm as quickly and safely as possible with additional resources available as part of the Southern Company system, which includes multiple electric and gas companies serving more than 9 million customers.

On Thursday afternoon, Governor Nathan Deal issued a mandatory evacuation order for all areas east of I-95 and other parts of Georgia's coast. Georgia Power wants to assure customers that it is not the company's procedure to disconnect power as part of mandatory evacuations.

Georgia Power also reminds customers to keep safety first during severe weather and offers the following tips for Georgians evacuating prior to Hurricane Irma.  

• Develop a plan for your family. The plan should include the destination of travel, alternate routes, gas stations and a re-unification plan if family members become separated as well as a list of critical information such as utility accounts and insurance documents.
• Prepare and carry an emergency supply kit with critical supplies. Supplies may include a car charger for cell phones or other electronics, a flashlight, battery operated radio and non-electric clock – for a complete list of additional items, visit the Georgia Power hurricane resource page.
• Unplug electronics in your home and place them on sturdy surfaces or relocate them to the highest floor.
• Turn your refrigerator and freezer to the coldest settings and pack your freezer with as many food items as possible. If electrical service is interrupted, a packed freezer can keep food frozen for up to 48 hours.
• When travelling before or after a storm, be aware of electrical crews working or the potential for down power lines or power poles. 

Tools You Can Use

• Outage Alerts – Subscribe to the free Georgia Power Outage Alert service to receive personalized notifications and updates via text message.
• Outage & Storm Center – Available at www.georgiapower.com/storm, customers can visit this site to sign up for Outage Alerts, report and check the status of outages, and access useful safety tips and information. Customers can report and check the status of an outage 24 hours a day by contacting Georgia Power at 888-891-0938.
• Outage Map – Housed within the Outage & Storm Center, Georgia Power's interactive Outage Map provides near real-time information, allowing users to see where outages are occurring across the state and track estimated restoration times.
• Georgia Power Mobile App – Download the Georgia Power mobile app for Apple and Android devices to access storm and outage information on the go.
• @GeorgiaPower on Twitter – Follow @GeorgiaPower on Twitter for storm tips, outage updates, customer service and more.