Fredericksburg, Va. – The forecast for Tuesday, Jan. 9 is calling for soaking rain – more than two inches in some parts – along with winds of 20 to 30 mph, with gusts of more than 50 mph throughout the day.
Conditions such as these can bring down trees and damage the grid, leading to potential power outages. As a result, Rappahannock Electric Cooperative (REC) urges member-owners to prepare now for possible power outages. The Cooperative has mobilized its field teams and contractors so they are ready to respond as quickly and safely as they can to any potential outages.
What to do before the storm:
Charge critical electronics such as cell phones before the storm arrives, and make sure your family has a flashlight with batteries and other essentials you may need. For a complete list of emergency items REC recommends, please visit myrec.coop/stormprep.
Other steps you can take now:
- Bookmark REC’s outage center: myrec.coop/outagecenter.
- Remember that you can now report your outage by texting OUT to 63273.
- You also can use your smart phone to report an outage at myrec.coop/out or report an outage in the MyREC SmartHub mobile app
- If someone in your home requires electricity for a serious medical condition, review your backup plan for an alternate location with power that you can rely on during an outage.
Important safety reminders:
- If you see a downed power line, always assume it is energized and dangerous. Stay away from the line and anything that might be in contact with it. Call 911 and contact REC at 800-552-3904 to report downed power lines.
- If your backup power plan includes using a generator, be sure to follow all safety guidelines including isolating your generator from REC’s power lines, connecting appliances or other devices directly to the generator with the appropriate cords, and providing adequate ventilation for the generator.
