JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Florida Power & Light Company debunked common misconceptions about power outages so the community can be well-prepared in case of an emergency this hurricane season.
Outages can last hours, days, or even weeks when a tropical storm or hurricane hits.
Marshall Hastings, with Florida Light and Power Company – the largest power utility in Florida – said there are some mistakes people make during storms.
“Safety has to be paramount for our customers,” Hastings said. “It’s not the time to go out into the community and seeing what type of impacts might’ve been caused. There’s a lot of unknowns immediately after a storm.”
Hastings said if power goes out, customers don’t need to report it.
“When we’re going out into the energy grid, we know which houses do and which houses don’t have power. In the case of a customer needing to call, would be really if their entire neighborhood has power and they don’t,” Hastings said.
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When a storm hits, there’s no need to turn the lights off and wait around with a flashlight. Marshall said people can leave their power on because it doesn’t affect anything.
“There is not really a difference in terms of if your lights are on or if your power is on. It’s really about where the storm is impacting your area,” Hastings said.
FEMA reported severe weather like hurricanes, tornadoes, wind, and rainstorms typically cause sustained power outages.
Hastings said the best thing people can do to keep themselves and their family safe is to have a plan – keeping groceries stocked and emergency kits ready.
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“Every day that we’re not responding to a storm, is one that we are preparing for one. It’s important for our customers to make those same preparations ahead of storm season and beginning of storm season before the storm is even on the radar,” Hastings said.
FPL encouraged all of its customers to download the app now, before a storm hits. If you do have to evacuate, you will be able to see through the app if your power is out or if it has been restored to help you determine when to return home.