Be Prepared for Hurricane Season

On the first day of the Atlantic hurricane season – and with a few systems being monitored – now is the time to prepare.

OUC—The Reliable One prepares year-round so we’re always ready to respond and we want the community we serve to stay safe and start preparing now, too. Follow these tips to protect your family and home before, during and after the first storm strikes:

• Register for voice, text or email Outage Alerts at OUC. com/alerts.

• Make sure OUC has your correct phone number on file by logging in to your myOUC account at OUC.com or calling 407-423-9018.

• Be prepared to protect your windows with hurricane shutters or plywood. Identify any special medical needs (refrigerated medicines, equipment requiring electricity, etc.).

• Store patio/yard items that may move during a storm.

• Locate the nearest emergency shelters.

• Create a family emergency plan, including meeting

places, phone numbers and responsibilities.

• Stock up on supplies: manual can opener, cooler, battery-operated radio, flashlights, extra batteries, emergency food and water.

• Assemble a first aid kit and a two-week supply of required medicines.

• Trim back dead or weak branches from trees in your yard, but do not trim near power lines; this is dangerous and should only be done by professionals.

• Following a power outage, unplug large appliances to protect them from a power surge and fire hazards.

• Never run a generator inside your home or garage and never plug it directly into your home’s electrical system; individual appliances should be directly plugged into the generator.

For comprehensive guidelines and hurricane season updates, visit OUC.com/stormcenter and to check for outages in your area, visit OUC’s online outage map at OUC. com/outage