Pepco Urges Customers to Prepare for Hurricane Season

Pepco continues to prepare for the peak hurricane season, which continues until late October. The utility is reminding customers not to get complacent because of a calm summer.

Despite a mild summer, the National Weather Service predicts the remaining hurricane season to be above-normal with an increased chance of a major hurricane hitting the U.S. coastline. Pepco wants to remind customers to prepare for the possibility of destructive tropical weather that could hit our region any time between now and the official end date of the Atlantic hurricane season Nov. 30.

An updated seasonal outlook, which includes tropical storms Andrea, Barry, Chantal, Dorian, Erin, Fernand, and Gabrielle, projects a 70 percent chance of 13 to 19 named storms (winds of 39 miles per hour or higher), of which six to nine could become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), including three to five major hurricanes (Category 3, 4 or 5; winds of 111 mph or higher). These ranges are above the 30-year seasonal averages.

Pepco says it will continue to closely monitor these updates throughout the hurricane season and maintain an overall storm readiness which includes more than 150 permanent line personnel. In addition, more than 450 contract line personnel already here working on the system and ready to respond to emergencies according to Pepco.

Pepco’s has a free mobile app available at Pepco’s Free Self-Service App.

In the event of a storm, customers should follow the advice of their local emergency management officials. Pepco works in close coordination with emergency management offices in all of our regions.
“As we enter the peak hurricane season, our top priority is the safety of our workers and our customers,” said Donna M. Cooper, president, Pepco Region. “We know that preparation can aid in protecting our families and community. Given this, we strongly encourage customers to always be ready for an emergency.”

Some tips for Pepco customers to be prepared:

• Assemble an emergency storm kit, including:
  • Battery-powered radio or television
  • Flashlight
  • First-aid kit
  • Battery-powered or windup clock
  • Extra batteries
  • Special needs items, such as an insulated cooler
  • List of important and emergency phone numbers
• Take cover if necessary. Stay away from downed wires. Call 1-877-PEPCO-62 (1-877-737-2662), and follow the prompts to report a downed wire.
• For people using life-support equipment that requires electricity to operate, please identify a location with emergency power capabilities and make plans to go there.
• If using a personal generator, please take all recommended precautions.
• Keep at least a three-day supply per person of non-perishable foods and bottled water, as well as a hand-operated can opener.
• Have a telephone with a cord or a cell phone to use as a backup. Cordless telephones require electricity to operate and won’t work if there is an outage.
• Protect electronic equipment. Unplug sensitive electronics or plug computers and other sensitive equipment into surge suppressors and consider an uninterruptible power supply for temporary battery backup power.
• Turn off power to flood-prone basement appliances if it is safe to do so. However, if using an electrically operated sump pump, the customer should not turn off the power.
• Have adequate prescription medicines or infant supplies on hand.
• Follow local news broadcasts for the latest weather and emergency information.

Customers can find additional information by visiting Pepco’s website, on Facebook at PepcoConnect, and on Twitter.

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