EnergyAustralia issues safety guide on summer storms, along with warning that storms could interrupt power supply
Summer storms are getting closer and EnergyAustralia has been
encouraging residents to make sure they’re prepared, according to a
company statement (Erisk Net , 20 October 2005).
Storms could interrupt power supply: EnergyAustralia General
Manager Network Geoff Lilliss said it was important to remember that
summer storms could interrupt the power supply. “Heavy rain, strong
winds, lightning and fallen trees are among the most common causes of
blackouts and they can also cause a great deal of damage to your home,”
Lilliss said. “Just as EnergyAustralia prepares its power network for
summer, there are things residents should do to ensure their families
and homes stay safe.”
EnergyAustralia produces safety guide: To assist in storm season
preparations, EnergyAustralia produced a summer safety guide which
contained important information about how to prepare for and stay safe
during a storm. It would be distributed through metropolitan and
suburban newspapers in Sydney, the Central Coast and Hunter regions
during October and November.
Advice on quick power restoration: “The safety guide advises
what to do before, during and after a storm as well as what to do if
you do lose power. There’s also advice on how you can help
EnergyAustralia restore power as quickly as possible after a storm,”
Lilliss said.
Fallen powerline warning: He also urged parents to warn their
children about the dangers of fallen powerlines. “After a storm, fallen
powerlines can easily be hidden by trees or flooded creeks. Our message
is to always assume fallen powerlines are ‘live’ with electricity, to
stay well away, warn others to do the same and call EnergyAustralia on
13 13 88 to report the problem.
Additional advice available: “Safety of the public and our
people is of utmost importance to EnergyAustralia so I encourage you to
read this guide, discuss it with your family and ensure you are
prepared for the storm season,” Lilliss said. More safety advice would
be available from EnergyAustralia’s website at http://www.energy.com.au.
Safety tips: EnergyAustralia’s storm safety tips:
• “Prepare for summer by removing loose items from your yard which
could become airborne in strong winds, trim trees which could fall on
your home, check the roof for leaks and clean your gutters.
• “Keep a battery-powered radio handy to listen for weather and power
restoration updates as well as a torch and spare batteries.
• “If you lose power during a storm switch off and unplug sensitive
electrical devices and keep your fridge closed as much as possible to
keep the contents cool.
• “After a storm beware of fallen powerlines, particularly those hidden in fallen trees or other debris.
• “If your entire suburb is without power it is not necessary to call
EnergyAustralia to report it as we’ll have detected the problem and
will be working to restore your supply.
• “However, if your neighbours have power and you don’t or if you’ve
seen or heard something which you think could be responsible for your
loss of supply, call us on 13 13 88.
• “If you call EnergyAustralia to report a loss of supply, providing
your address, nearest corner and the number on your nearest power pole
will help our field crews locate your home quickly.
• “Always remember your personal safety – don’t approach fallen powerlines for any reason and warn others to do the same.
• “If you’re calling to report fallen powerlines, let us know what type
they are. Are they the lines that run between power poles or between a
power pole and your home? This information will ensure EnergyAustralia
dispatches the right crew to undertake repairs.”
Reference: EnergyAustralia, 20 October 2005. Contact: EnergyAustralia News Pager, ph: (02) 9966 7985.
Erisk Net, 26/10/2005