With Severe Weather Awareness Week underway, Nashville Electric Service (NES) is sharing important safety advice leading into the spring storm season.
The utility’s number one safety tip is to be prepared for severe weather and potential power outages. It’s also important to keep these guidelines in mind before storms roll in.
Make sure your contact information is up to date with us.
Be sure your current phone number is tied to your NES account so that we can easily identify your location when reporting an outage. To update your number, log into My Account at nespower.com.
Assemble an emergency kit.
Take a quick trip to the grocery and pharmacy to stock up on essentials like non-perishable food, blankets, flashlights and fresh batteries, prescription medications, bottled water, pet food and infant formula and diapers. Also, make sure cell phones are fully charged and unplug sensitive electronic equipment. If the electricity goes out, use a car charger to power up your cell phone if the battery is running low.
Have a back-up plan for life-support equipment.
If you or a family member rely on an electrical life-sustaining medical device, identify a location with emergency power capabilities and make plans to go there or to a hospital during an extended outage.
Never go near downed or sagging power lines.
In case of an emergency or hazardous condition, call 911 to report the issue. NES will be notified immediately to respond.
Keep your refrigerator and freezer doors closed.
Food in an unopened fridge will be safe if power is out four hours or less. A fully stocked freezer will hold food safely for 48 hours.
Follow all safety guidelines when operating a portable generator.
Ensure proper ventilation outside to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning from the toxic engine exhaust. Install a carbon monoxide detector inside your home as a safety precaution.
Stay informed.
Go online to nespower.com to view our outage map for near real-time updates. We also provide storm information on Twitter and Facebook.
Repairing damage to my property.
If service is pulled away from your property, you will need to hire a licensed electrician to make the necessary repairs. Metro or State Codes will have to inspect the work and issue a release to NES before power can be safely turned back on.
Removing tree debris from my property.
When tree debris is caused by a storm or emergency situation, it is the responsibility of the property owner to remove it. Crews may need to cut broken and uprooted trees to make repairs to our lines, but our crews must work quickly to restore power to all customers.
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