ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., June 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Progress Energy Florida
(PEF) is carefully monitoring Tropical Storm Alberto and has activated its
storm-response plan in preparation for possible landfall in the company's
service area.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20020923/CHM008LOGO-c)
"Our storm response has been tested numerous times by real storms and
drills," said David McDonald, PEF's system storm coordinator. "Over the
years, we have also incorporated numerous improvements and enhancements to
our storm- response plan and we are ready for whatever the 2006 hurricane
season brings. We will continue to watch Alberto closely, and are prepared
to respond quickly if it threatens our service territory."
Current projections show Alberto -- the first named storm of the 2006
hurricane season -- is on track to make landfall somewhere in North Central
Florida or the eastern Panhandle. PEF's service area in the Panhandle
extends to Bay County, which is to the west of the currently projected path
of Alberto.
PEF uses a comprehensive plan to respond rapidly to storm damage. The
plan provides procedures for mobilizing employees to handle storm-response
duties, to quickly evaluate storm damage, to coordinate line crew and
equipment mobilization required for repairs, and to arrange meals and
lodging for out- of-town workers.
PEF offers these hurricane safety tips:
- To prepare for outages, have plenty of fresh batteries for flashlights
and radios.
- If rising water threatens your home, turn off the power at the circuit
breaker panel or fuse box before water enters your home. Have an
electrician inspect your system before turning the power back on after
flooding.
- Never replace a fuse or touch a circuit breaker with wet hands, or
while standing on a wet or damp surface.
- When using a gasoline-powered electric generator, operate it in well-
ventilated areas and only connect it to individual appliances.
Connecting a generator to a wall outlet in your home or building's
electrical system is dangerous for customers and line crews working to
restore power. Never operate a generator indoors as carbon monoxide
buildup can be fatal.
- Don't go sightseeing in your car during or after a hurricane.
Unnecessary vehicles on the road hinder crews from conducting vital
damage assessment and restoration work. Needless driving also increases
the risk of coming into contact with downed power lines, which may be
energized.
- Assume all downed power lines are live and stay away from them. If you
see a downed power line, call PEF at 800-228-8485 to report its
location.
- Customers who have experienced electrical damage to their home -- such
as damage to a weatherhead or meter base -- and are in need of a
reputable electrician, may contact Progress Energy for referral through
its Electrical Contractor Network (ECN). Interested customers should
call 888-999-8856 and select option #2. Each contractor dispatched
must meet certain criteria, such as passing a professional and personal
background check, meeting insurance and licensing requirements,
carrying photo ID in the field, and be trained in safety.
PEF customers who lose power should call the 24-hour automated outage
line at 800-228-8485. By calling this number, customers can obtain the same
information available from our customer service associates. It is the
fastest way to report a power outage, and even offers an option to call
customers back if updates are available on when power will be restored.
This state-of-the-art technology is capable of handling more than 125,000
calls per hour during widespread outages.
For additional storm-safety tips, visit
http://www.progress-energy.com/storm.
Progress Energy Florida, a subsidiary of Progress Energy (NYSE: PGN),
provides electricity and related services to more than 1.6 million
customers in Florida. The company is headquartered in St. Petersburg, Fla.,
and serves a territory encompassing over 20,000 square miles including the
cities of St. Petersburg and Clearwater, as well as the Central Florida
area surrounding Orlando. Progress Energy is the 2005 recipient of the
prestigious J.D. Power and Associates Founder's Award for dedication,
commitment and sustained improvement in customer service. For more
information about Progress Energy, visit the company's Web site at
progress-energy.com.
SOURCE Progress Energy
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Related links:
http://www.progress-energy.com/storm
http://www.progress-energy.com/
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CONTACT:
Progress Energy Florida 24-hour media line,
+1-866-520-6397
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