Safety & Storm Preparation

Thunderstorms|Tornadoes

Keep the freezer and refrigerator doors closed as much as possible. This will help food last longer in the event of a power outage.
Charge cell phones and other devices that need to be charged.
Leave your front porch light on. This will help our crews know when your power has been restored.
Make sure everyone in your household knows where your safe place is in the event of a tornado
o This place should be the lowest level of your home or a small room in the middle of the house away from windows, like a closet, hall or bathroom.
Make sure your safe place emergency kit is stocked:
o Non-Perishable Foods/Canned Goods
o Manual Can Opener
o Medications
o Bottled Water
o Flashlight with spare batteries (have a flashlight separate from the one on your cell phone to preserve cell battery life for calls)
o Battery-Powered Radio with Spare Batteries
o Click Here for more emergency kit tips from the American Red Cross
o Battery-Powered Radio with Spare Batteries
Contact older friends, neighbors and family members to make sure they are safe
Consider using a regular file backup service to preserve your digital photos and other important files

Get to Safe Shelter Immediately
o Inside a sturdy building
o Away from windows, doors, electrical appliances
At Home
o Don’t shower or bathe. Water pipes can conduct lightning.
o Stay in your safe place until all is clear
Away from Home
o In a Car: Stay in your car and call 911. Do NOT exit the car until instructed by emergency personnel.
If the car is on fire, open the door, but do NOT step out of the car Instead, jump completely free of the car with both feet together to avoid contact with the metal of the car and the ground at the same time

o Around Water: Get out of boats and away from water
o Woods: Find a lower spot not prone to flooding and take shelter under shorter trees
o During Lightning: Crouch as low as possible with your head between your knees

Always treat downed power lines as if they’re live and stay clear of them. Report these lines to Newnan Utilities or 911.
Don’t touch limbs or any object that is touching power lines—they could be live.
Steer clear of areas with debris and downed trees. They could be hiding downed power lines.
Drive cautiously around crews working at all times and obey all road and work signs. This keeps our crews safe and helps them continue their work to restore your power as quickly as possible.

Rest assured that our crews are working as quickly as possible to safely restore your electricity.

More Tips & Resources: Ready.gov

In the winter months, pipes can freeze…and burst…wreaking havoc on your home. Take these precautions to help prevent frozen pipes:

Drain water from swimming pool and sprinkler supply lines. Do not put antifreeze in these lines; it is dangerous to humans, pets, wildlife, and landscaping.
Remove, drain and store outdoor hoses.
o Close inside valves supplying outdoor hose bibs.
o Open the outside valve to allow water to drain and keep the outside water valve open.
Consider installing products made to insulate pipes, like a pipe sleeve, heat tape, or similar materials.

Keep garage doors closed if they house water lines.
Open kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors to allow warmer air to circulate around the plumbing.
When the weather is very cold, let the cold water drip from the faucet served by exposed pipes.
Keep the thermostat set to the same temperature both day and night.

Apply heat to the frozen section of pipe using one of these methods. Do NOT use any open flame device.
o Electric Heating Pad Wrapped Around Pipe
o Hair Dryer
o Portable Space Heater
o Towels Soaked in Hot Water Wrapped Around Pipe
Keep the faucet on as the pipe begins to thaw.
Apply heat until full water pressure is restored.
Check all other faucets in your home; if one freezes, other may also freeze.