Hurricane Ian’s track has shifted to the east, and we are expecting higher sustained winds and wind gusts throughout the day on Friday. This increases the chance you may have a power outage.
Wilson Energy crews are standing by ready to respond to outages. As of Friday morning, Wilson Energy does not have any outages. All trucks are stocked and fueled, and crews will be available throughout the storm if needed.
To prepare for any outages, here’s what you should do right now:
- Charge mobile devices and have a plan for keeping them charged if you lose power
- Bookmark websites and social media pages on your smart phone for storm related news
- Make sure flashlights or lanterns have fresh batteries and are ready for use. If we have outages, we expect them to happen in the late afternoon to evening. You will need a light source.
- Download Fix-It Wilson app
Plan to stay at home this afternoon and evening. Conditions will deteriorate throughout the day and travel once the sun goes down is not advised. Never drive through flooded streets. Around 100 people die every year in the U.S. in submerged vehicles. Turn around, don’t drown!
You can follow the latest news on Ian at NOAA's One-Stop Page.
Power Outages
- Remember, if you see downed power lines, do not touch them or allow pets or children near them. Wilson Energy customers can track electric outages from mobile devices through our text alert system. You must sign up for the service to begin receiving notifications. The system is easy to use but you do need your location number, found on your utility bill. http://www.outageentry.com/dvSms/wilson.html
- Customers can also track and report electric outages from mobile devices through the outage reporting system. https://www.wilsonnc.org/outage Customers can also call 252-399-2424 to report an outage. [Note: In most cases we know when outages occur. People can bookmark the outage system on their phone to check the map. If the outage is showing in their area, they do not need to make the call. Especially in a storm when cell service can be unpredictable, it isn’t always necessary to talk with a person.]
We are encouraging customers to become familiar with digital tools such as Fix It Wilson and online electric outage reporting to minimize calls to the UCC. The UCC will be staffed up and ready to respond to increased call volume.
Fix-It Wilson City Services App
Fix-It Wilson is an app that allows Wilson residents to report common issues such as drainage issues on city streets, water and sewer service issues, and Greenlight service disruptions. Fix-It Wilson provides a very efficient way to request service from the City of Wilson. A City of Wilson employee will review your request, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Emergency situations such as gas leaks or downed power lines should still be reported by phone to 252-399-2424. Fix-It Wilson is available for iOS and Android devices. Fix_It Wilson link
Don’t drive through flooded areas
Flooding is one of the leading causes of weather related fatalities, with more than half of deaths occurring in motor vehicles. Watch this short video to see how quickly flood waters can take over: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eI6mIlHKrVY
City of Wilson Street Closure Map
On Wednesday afternoon we sent out a special edition of Wilson This Week focused on Hurricane Ian. In case you missed it, you can read it here: https://bit.ly/3UQ8lag (sign up for the e-newsletter while you're there!)
Build an emergency supply kit
If a major storm hits, your family may be without electricity or water. Officials recommend a supply kit with 72 hours of food, water and other needed supplies. See this link for tips to assemble your kit: https://www.ready.gov/build-a-kit
Original source can be found here.
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