NEC recognized as a StormReady® Supporter by NWS and NOAA Trace McCuan, CEO
Nueces Electric Cooperative has been officially recognized by the National Weather Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) as a StormReady® Supporter. NEC received this distinction for enhancing public safety through promoting the principles and guidelines of the StormReady® program in the Cooperative’s awareness and preparedness plans. We are extremely proud to have been named a StormReady® Supporter, as being prepared for hurricanes and large storms is vital to supporting NEC’s mission of continually providing reliable and cost effective electric service. This makes Nueces Electric Cooperative the only electric utility in the state of Texas to be recognized as a StormReady® Supporter. More than 190 sites in the state of Texas are StormReady®. In the Coastal Bend area, Nueces Electric Cooperative has joined the Texas State Aquarium, the Cities of Kingsville and Corpus Christi, the Naval Air Stations in Kingsville and Corpus Christi, and both TAMUCC and TAMUK in the StormReady® program. A full list of StormReady® sites can be found at https:// www.weather.gov/stormready/tx-sr. John Metz, Warning Coordination Meteorologist for the National Weather Service, helped recognize us in this designation as well. “On behalf of the National Weather Service and the StormReady® Advisory Board, I would like to congratulate you on the designation of Nueces Electric Cooperative in Robstown, Texas as a StormReady® Supporter. This success is clearly a result of your leadership, hard 18
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work and commitment at your facility.” Being prepared is always a priority here at NEC, so we are proud to have completed the necessary steps to become StormReady® certified. A big thank you to all of our employees that contributed to this recognition and that work hard every time a storm comes through our service area. This is just another step in fulfilling our mission of continually helping our members improve their quality of life by providing reliable and cost effective electric service. Depicted in the photo below: During the tour of the NEC facilities as the final step in the recognition process, NEC COO Avan Irani, Nueces County Office of Emergency Management Deputy Coordinator Melissa Munguia, National Weather Service Warning Coordination Meteorologist John Metz, NEC CEO Trace McCuan, and NEC CCO Sarah Fisher.
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Accepting NEC Member Satisfaction Surveys As a member of a Nueces Electric Cooperative, you are a member of a Cooperative. Your feedback is greatly important to us and your voice truly has an opportunity to be heard. Your feedback will help us evaluate the value of our membership offerings to ensure we’re providing the best professional and technical support possible to all NEC members. Without the active involvement and commitment of our members, NEC would not be the successful cooperative it is today. So please take our survey at https://neccoopenergy.com/survey/ If you would prefer a paper copy, please visit our offices to obtain a hard copy of this survey to submit by mail or at an NEC location. For other questions about this survey, please contact communications@nueceselectric.org.
How to take advantage of Back-to-School Energy Savings Adjust the Thermostat:
Readjusting your thermostat for your family’s fall school and work schedules can save plenty of energy. Make sure your central air conditioner doesn’t kick in until someone is actually home. If you have a window unit and/or ceiling fans, turn them off when you’re out. HVAC systems and fans comfort people, not empty homes.
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Smart Power Strips:
Nonessential electronics, such as TVs, Blu-ray players, game consoles and chargers, can eat electricity even when on standby. Thankfully, there’s another option than scouring the Earth for off buttons: smart power strips. These outlet hubs ensure that electricity isn’t drawn from electronics and appliances that aren’t in use.
Overall Energy Efficiency:
There are many things you can do when you are home to save energy. This can include grilling instead of using the oven and keeping the refrigerator door shut.
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Back-to-school time can bring a lot of changes after the more laid-back days of summer. As you start up your schoolyear routines, don’t forget to include daily energy savings in your plans!
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Tips To Prevent Wildfires More than 65,000 wildfires burned 5.4 million acres of land in the United States in 2016, according to the National Centers for Environmental Information. The worst part? Many of these disasters could have been prevented. Although some wildfires are caused by lightning, approximately 90 percent are caused by human error. Many times, wildfires occur when campfires are left unattended, debris is burned improperly or cigarettes are carelessly discarded. Such fires can grow rapidly out of control. Here are a few tips to help campers and outdoor enthusiasts enjoy the sights of nature without causing a wildfire.
• Never leave a fire unattended, and make sure you completely extinguish the fire when you’re done. Completely drench the fire with water and stir the ashes until they’re cold. • Play it safe when using fueled lanterns, heaters and stoves. Lighting and heating devices should be cool before you refuel them. Keep flammable liquids and fuel away from appliances. • Never discard cigarettes, matches or smoking materials from moving vehicles, or anywhere on park grounds. Completely extinguish cigarettes before disposing of them in an appropriate trash receptacle. • When burning yard waste, obey local ordinances. Avoid
burning in windy conditions, and keep a shovel, water and fire retardant nearby to keep fires in check. • If you see a wildfire and haven’t received evacuation orders yet, call 911. Don’t assume that someone else has already called. • If you find yourself in the path of a wildfire, evacuate immediately. Listen to local emergency notifications for the most up-to-date information. Better yet, make a wildfire plan for yourself and your family before a fire occurs. Visit ready.gov/wildfires for more information about wildfire safety.
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Extinguish your campfire when leaving, and keep flammable materials away from the fire.
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Phantom Power Costs on the Rise If you think you’ve done everything possible to make your house more energy efficient, think again: “Phantom” power is eating our collective lunch. The Natural Resources Defense Council recently found in a study that a whopping 23 percent of the electric power used in 70,000 American households was from phantom power—appliances and equipment that draw power even when they’re not being used. Think about that for a moment: Nearly one quarter of the power used by a household is for turned-off stuff that serves no purpose. That translates to about $19 billion worth of electricity, equal to the output of 50 large power plants. How did this become such a problem? One reason is that we have so much stuff. An onsite analysis of 10 houses in the study found that each house had an average of 65 devices in standby mode (such as
furnaces and garage door openers); in sleep mode, ready to power up quickly (like game consoles); or left fully on but inactive (like computers). Another factor is that our appliances and equipment have gone digital. Washers, dryers and fridges now have displays, electronic controls and internet connectivity. Other findings in the study also shed light on this issue: The traditional large electricity users (heating and cooling, lighting and refrigeration) accounted for just 15 percent of always-on consumption. Consumer electronics (TVs, computers, printers and game consoles) accounted for 51 percent, and other miscellaneous items (pumps for fish ponds and aquariums, and protected outlets in bathrooms, kitchens and garages) made up the remaining 34 percent. So now that we know we have this problem, what can we do
about it? Plenty! The NRDC suggests taking the following actions: a Unplug items that are rarely used. a Use a smart power strip that automatically turns off devices plugged into it when not in use. a Use a digital timer that turns a device on only when you normally use it. a Adjust power settings. A TV quick start can use 37 watts when enabled. But that setting can be disabled, as can settings on computers and game consoles. Take some time now to figure out where your phantom power is, and you’ll save money in the process.
TOP CONSUMERS OF PHANTOM POWER 1. Water recirculation pump, $93 annually 2. Desktop computer, $49 3. TV, $38 4. Cable set-top box, $30 5. Audio receiver/stereo, $22
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6. Printer, $11
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7. Furnace, $8 8. Coffee maker, $6 9. Dryer, $4 10. GFCI outlets, $1 each
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Happy Labor Day NEC Co-op Energy will be closed Monday, September 4, for Labor Day.
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Get Ready!
September is National Preparedness Month, reminding us all to prepare for disasters, whether they’re weather-related (storms, tornadoes, hurricanes, or floods) or human-created (acts of terrorism, wildfires or collisions). All require planning and action to withstand them safely.There are several steps you can take now to better prepare for any disaster.
Document and Insure Property
Having insurance for your home or business property is the best way to ensure that you can repair, rebuild or replace whatever is damaged. Make sure you understand your coverage. Coverages to consider include the dwelling and personal property; loss-of-use compensation for temporary relocation; personal liability; and medical protection for anyone injured on your property. A detailed inventory of belongings can speed claim processing. Take photos and write down descriptions, including years, makes and model numbers.
Create and Test Communication Plans
Your family might not be all together if a disaster strikes, so take steps to form an emergency communication plan: 1. Equip household members to receive emergency alerts. Check with local emergency management or learn more by visiting ready.gov/alerts. 2. Choose a safe and familiar (and, if necessary, accessible and/or animal-friendly) emergency meeting place, where your family can go for protection or to reunite. 3. Create a paper copy of contact information that includes phone numbers and email addresses, and names and addresses of family members, medical facilities, doctors, service providers, schools and workplaces. Make sure everyone carries a copy and post a copy in your home. 4. Have regular household meetings to review plans and travel routes—and then practice, just like a fire drill.
Access Alerts and Warnings
Local police and fire departments, emergency managers, national agencies and private industry work together to provide alerts through several
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National Preparedness Month offers reminder to plan ahead
technologies. Most disaster-related apps can be downloaded to mobile devices for free. The Integrated Public Alert and Warning System provides nationwide notifications for presidential, Amber Alerts and imminent threats. NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards notifies the public about weather events, technological incidents such as chemical spills, Amber Alerts and national emergencies. The Federal Emergency Management Agency app offers emergency updates, methods for staying safe from 20 types of hazards and directions to open shelters. The American Red Cross app combines 35 types of weather and emergency alerts, and lets you check to see if loved ones are safe.
Safeguard Documents
Keep vital information in a secure, convenient location. Include your insurance company’s contact info with your policy numbers and claim filing instructions. Store paper copies in a waterproof and fireproof box or safe. Secure electronic copies with strong passwords and save them on a flash or external hard drive in another, similar container.
Assemble or Update Supplies
Assemble a disaster supplies kit well in advance. Collect enough food and water to last at least 72 hours, and include communications, hygiene and first-aid supplies. Basic services such as electricity, gas, water and telephones may be cut off for days or even longer. Your supplies kit should contain items to help you manage during these outages. Visit ready.gov/kit to see a list of emergency kit supplies. www.neccoopenergy.com
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I THOUGHT I WAS TIGHT WITH MY MONEY. NOW I’M AIRTIGHT. All it took was a tube of caulk and half an afternoon. Now, I’m saving $212 a year by sealing a few cracks around the house. What can you do? Find out how the little changes add up at TogetherWeSave.com.
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PRINT OUT THE COUPONS, ADD UP THE SAVINGS. GET BIG SAVINGS ON GROCERIES THROUGH COUPONS.COM WITH YOUR CO-OP CONNECTIONS CARD. ANOTHER MEMBER BENEFIT BROUGHT TO YOU BY YOUR LOCAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE.
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TIRES • GROCERIES • OIL CHANGE • FROZEN YOGURT • DINING OUT • EYEWEAR • LAWN CARE • BRACES •
www.NuecesElectric.org/ConnectionsCardWant more details?
Visit NECCoopEnergy.com or call 1-855-632-7348 to learn more.
• CELLPHONE • LOCAL BUSINESSES • DAY CARE • INSURANCE • LEGAL SERVICES • HOME REPAIRS • FUEL 24
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ACES •
PIZZA • INTERNET • GIFTS • FLOWERS • CRAFTS • FITNESS CLUBS • PRESCRIPTIONS • PET FOOD • MUSEUMS • CONCERTS • TOOLS •
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