Be Ready Before the Storm

Posted on September 10, 2025 by John Brush

September is National Preparedness Month, a reminder for households and communities to take steps now to be prepared for emergencies. In South Carolina, this month additionally falls through the peak of hurricane season, making it the right time to arrange your own home, your loved ones; and your vitality wants.

At Santee Cooper, we work year-round to strengthen our system and put together for extreme climate, however readiness is a staff effort. Here’s how one can be storm-ready:

Build or Refresh Your Emergency Outage Kit

Having provides prepared earlier than a storm hits makes an enormous distinction. Your outage equipment ought to embody:

• Flashlights and further batteries
• A battery-powered telephone charger
• First support provides and drugs
• Bottled water and non-perishable meals
• Cash, in case ATMs or card readers are down
• Important paperwork saved in waterproof containers

Know How to Stay Connected

Powerful storms can disrupt communications. Make certain Santee Cooper has your present contact info and join My Energy Link (MEL) to get outage alerts despatched on to you. Our Storm Center additionally permits you to report and monitor outages rapidly.

Plan for Backup Power

If you utilize a generator throughout an outage, all the time function it safely:

• Keep it exterior and away from doorways, home windows and vents to forestall carbon monoxide poisoning.
• Never join a generator on to your own home’s wiring – use correct switch switches and comply with security tips.

How Santee Cooper Prepares

Just as you’re making ready your own home and household, we put together too. Santee Cooper crews examine and reinforce our system, trim timber close to energy traces, and stage gear and personnel so we will reply as rapidly as potential when storms hit. Our precedence is restoring energy safely and effectively to each buyer.

Storms might be unpredictable, however preparation provides you peace of thoughts. This September, take a couple of minutes to assessment your loved ones’s plan, replace your outage equipment, and know easy methods to join with Santee Cooper earlier than, throughout and after extreme climate.