BERLIN, Conn. (September 9, 2014) – September is National Preparedness Month and with hurricane season upon us, CL&P is ready to respond to any damage or outages Mother Nature may bring to Connecticut. The company is also encouraging customers to plan ahead and take action before an emergency strikes.
“Effectively responding to emergencies requires a clear plan and advance preparation,” said Peter Clarke, Senior Vice President of Emergency Preparedness for Northeast Utilities, parent company of CL&P. “We are committed to year-round emergency preparedness and consistently finding ways to improve our electric system and the storm restoration process. We also work with state agencies, municipalities and community organizations to provide assistance with emergency planning and response.”
As part of the company’s emergency preparedness training, CL&P recently conducted several “live line” demonstrations with local emergency responders. The company’s safety training team demonstrated the dangers of coming in contact with live power lines, as well as how storm debris can impact the electrical system. CL&P also shared safety protocols and their emergency response processes to help keep customers and communities safe.
In addition, the company continues making targeted investments in the electric system to increase reliability and resiliency. Installing new and stronger poles, wires, and transformers and making substation upgrades will help improve overall service and public safety. During severe weather, downed trees are the number one cause of outages, often tearing down electrical lines and equipment. Therefore, CL&P warns everyone to treat all downed wires as live and dangerous and urges customers to stay at least 10 feet away and immediately report the location to 9-1-1.
While the state and utilities prepare for emergencies, it’s equally important that families and businesses:
- Have an emergency plan and a well-stocked storm kit. For a list of essential supplies, see CL&P’s "Shopping for a Storm Kit" video on YouTube at http://youtu.be/X8Y_M4SO5oE.
- Keep all wireless communication devices fully-charged in advance of severe weather.
- Follow us on @CTLightandPower on Twitter and at facebook.com/ctlightandpower for important information and outage updates.
Customers who depend on electricity for critical medical needs are urged to contact CL&P at 800-791-3369, so they can be enrolled in a voluntary notification program to help them better prepare for potential outages due to severe weather.
The Connecticut American Red Cross, one of CL&P’s partners in emergency preparedness, provides helpful information and resources at www.ctredcross.org. For information on statewide response, please visit Connecticut’s Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security at www.ct.gov/demhs.