TAMPA, Fla. — As Hurricane Milton nears Florida's west coast, Tampa Electric is urging their customers to prepare for "extended outages."
In a news release, TECO said a storm of Milton's magnitude can damage overhead and underground power lines and other electrical infrastructure, resulting in widespread power outages.
"Tampa Electric’s crews are prepared to work around the clock when and where it is safe to restore power as quickly as possible after the storm," officials said in a news release. "We are securing thousands of utility workers to join Tampa Electric’s 600-line crew members and contractors."
The utility company is urging customers to follow these important tips and safety precautions:
- Visit FloridaDisaster.org for statewide and county preparedness guides, evacuation zones, shelter information, alerts and more.
- Avoid downed power lines and urge others to stay away. Call 911 to report it.
- Water and electricity don’t mix!
- Stay out of floodwaters, as they can hide energized power lines and other hazards.
- Avoid wet electrical equipment such as transformers, circuit breakers, fuses, power lines and wiring.
- Unplug or turn off non-essential electrical equipment and small appliances to protect them from power surges.
- If you’re evacuating, especially if due to flooding risk, we recommend turning your electricity off at the main breaker while your home is still dry. This helps protect your electrical system from damage, supports your personal safety and improves restoration time. Never touch your breaker box if your hands are wet or you are standing in water.
- Please do NOT turn off your natural gas service at the meter. Natural gas appliances have safety valves that will shut off the flow of natural gas automatically if the pilot light goes out.
- Use portable generators safely.
- Plug your appliances directly into the generator.
- DO NOT connect your portable generator to your home’s circuits. Connecting your generator to the circuits may cause power to flow to outside lines, posing life-threatening danger to restoration crews.
- Portable generators must not be taken into homes or enclosed spaces (like a garage) where deadly carbon monoxide gases could build up.
- Smell gas? Act fast.
- The odor of rotten eggs indicates that a natural gas line might be damaged. Immediately move to safety and call 911, then call Peoples Gas at 877-832-6747. Emergency calls are answered 24/7/365.
- Electric Vehicle Precautions.
- Fully charge your electric vehicle (EV) before severe weather to prepare for potential power outages. Adjust your vehicle’s daily charging limit to 100% to allow for the maximum driving range if it’s currently set to 80% as most manufacturers recommend.
- Park your EV in a secure location away from areas that may flood.
- Follow all manufacturer safety recommendations if you export power from your EV to run home appliances during a power outage. Remember, doing this will decrease your EV’s driving range.
For more information on tips, restoration information and more, click here.
