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Stay aware.

Get prepared.

Be ready.

That’s the main message that Alabama Power wants residents to heed, as the height of hurricane season is ongoing.

Alabama Power Public Information Officer Beth Thomas said the most important thing for people right now is to be prepared and aware.

“This is the time to be watching the weather, and to have your plan and to be ready,” Thomas said.

Thomas said if a storm does occur in the area and the power goes out, residents can call the outage number at 1-800-888-APCO (2726) or report outages through AP’s app.

She said a common misunderstanding from residents is the order for the restoration of power.

“If you’re across the street or next door, you’re not on the same grid,” she said. “We’re always working to restore essential services like hospitals, emergency agencies and water treatment plants first. After that, we’re going to be going to get the most people restored the quickest.”

The following are some tips from Alabama Power for before the storm, after the storm and how power is restored and generator safety:

 

Before the storm

• Charge cell phones and other electronic devices and make sure to have battery-operated weather radio to stay informed;
• Create a family plan for emergencies and discuss how to stay safe;
• Set thermostat to a comfortable level in your house, and keep doors and windows closed after the storm;
• In the event of a tornado, plan to seek shelter inside a sturdy building on the lowest level. Choose a small room with no windows, such as a closet, hallway or bathroom;

 

After the storm

• Report an outage or a hazardous situation, such as a downed power line, to AlabamaPower.com;
• Make sure roads are safe before driving;
• Turn off appliances to avoid any potential safety hazards when power is restored;
• Never drive under or over downed power lines, and keep children and pets away from them;

 

Generator safety

• While portable generators can help keep appliances running during outages, they can also be deadly when used improperly;
• Connect only essential appliances such as a refrigerator directly to the generator;
• To avoid carbon monoxide poisoning, always operate portable generators outdoors in a well-ventilated, dry are away from windows and air intakes to the home;

 

How AP restores power

• Crews focus on critical health and human services such as hospitals, fire and police first; and,
• AP takes a hub and spoke approach, concentrating efforts where they can restore the most amount of service to the most people and then working their way down.