Blue Ridge Energy Advises Members: Be Prepared for Severe Weather

Blue Ridge Energy Advises Members: Be Prepared for Severe Weather

For Immediate Release

Contact: Renee R. Walker, Director of Public Relations, Blue Ridge Energy, (828)-757-6771 or rw*****@bl*************.com

Lenoir, North Carolina (January 8, 2024) – In preparation for extreme wind gusts and heavy rain predicted overnight Monday and Tuesday morning, Blue Ridge Energy line technicians are on high alert, ready to respond should outages occur.

Weather forecasts calling for wind gusts of 40 miles per hour and higher, combined with a saturated ground from the weekend and more heavy rain coming of two to four inches, could potentially lead to downed trees and power lines. Flooding may also result, as well as icy weather late Monday night.

The cooperative advises members to be prepared with the following tips to stay safe and more comfortable in the event of an outage:

Before a storm, have the following on hand:

• Flashlights and extra batteries
• Extra water for drinking, cooking and pets
• Non-perishable food that can be eaten without an oven or microwave such as: fruit, canned tuna or chicken, crackers, peanut butter, cereal, canned coffee and drinks. Include a manual can opener.
• NOAA Weather Radio. Or sign up for alerts from emergency and weather services on a smart phone or tablet.
• First aid kit, including prescription medications
• Extra blankets and layers of warm clothing
• Charcoal or propane grill (use only in a well-ventilated areas)
• Keep cell phones charged and have fully charged battery backups
• If you are elderly or dependent upon life support equipment powered by electricity, have a back-up plan in case storm damage to the electric system is severe enough to require extra restoration time to repair downed powers lines and poles.

Always report an outage. Outages may be reported in the following ways:

• Call PowerLine: 1-800-448-2383
• Over the Blue Ridge Energy mobile app
• By text: Be sure your mobile number is listed on your account and text OUT to 70216 (or START to sign up after your mobile number is added to your account).

For outage status at any time:

• Check the cooperative’s online outage map at www.BlueRidgeEnergy.com and on our mobile app.

Safety

Stay away from downed power lines. NEVER touch a downed line or any object that is in contact with it. This can be dangerous or even deadly! Always report downed power lines to the cooperative by calling 1-800-451-5474. A trained line technician is the only person who should handle downed power line situations.

Blue Ridge Energy posts information during major outages on its social media channels: www.facebook.com/blueridgeenergy; www.instagram.com/blueridgeenergy and www.twitter.com/blueridgeemc.  However, outage reporting is only available using one of the three options above (phone, mobile app or text) to ensure all outages are logged into the cooperative’s outage management system.

Blue Ridge Energy serves some 78,000 members in Caldwell, Watauga, Ashe, Alleghany, and parts of Wilkes, Avery and Alexander counties. Its propane and fuels subsidiary serves customers in the cooperative’s service area as well as Burke, Catawba, and Grayson County, Va. Learn more at www.BlueRidgeEnergy.com.