National Preparedness Month comes as the first major hurricane of the season made landfall in the U.S. this week, and the peak of Atlantic hurricane season is quickly approaching. The current weather patterns serve as a timely reminder for customers to be prepared for severe weather and other emergencies.

“The safety of our customers, communities, and employees is always our top priority,” said John McDonald, PECO senior vice president and COO. “We work throughout the year to ensure our employees and systems are ready for any extreme weather that may occur. Hurricane Dorian is a timely reminder for all of us that being prepared is a responsibility everyone should take seriously.”

To help customers plan and prepare for an emergency, PECO offers the following tips:

• Stay far away from any storm damaged electrical equipment, especially downed wires. You should always assume downed wires are energized. Report a downed wire immediately by calling PECO at 1-800-841-4141.
• Keep a flashlight with fresh batteries on each floor of your home.
• Identify an alternate location for you and/or your family in case of an extended outage.
• Customers who rely on electricity to keep medicine refrigerated or medical equipment running should develop a plan to maintain health requirements during a power outage.
• Review the manufacturer’s instructions for safe operation of your generator. Do not connect a generator directly to your home’s wiring. Never use a generator indoors or in any enclosed area.
• Follow the advice of local emergency management officials.

Read the complete press release here.