Atlantic City Electric Prepared if Hurricane Hits New Jersey

Atlantic City Electric is closely monitoring the track of Hurricane Joaquin and the possibility of heavy rain that may cause localized flooding and heavy winds that may result in power outages in South Jersey over the next few days, officials with the electric company said on Wednesday.

Atlantic City Electric has crews prepared to restore any potential outages, but customers should be prepared for the possibility of power outages that can last for a short period of time or multiple days depending on the damage to the system.

In addition to internal linemen, Atlantic City Electric has overhead line contractors and tree crews ready to be deployed. The company has also started discussions with the North Atlantic Mutual Assistance (NAMA) and Southeastern Electric Exchange (SEE) groups to secure outside utility crews.

Atlantic City Electric is also in contact with local emergency management officials, and its call centers are staffed and prepared for this event.

Crews are prepared to work around the clock to restore any outages, if necessary. However if sustained winds reach 35 mph, work that requires raising a bucket/arm boom will be interrupted until it is safe for the crews to continue.

“Safety is our No. 1 priority,” the electric company said in a statement. “We urge our customers to stay clear of working crews and any wires hanging loose from poles or lying on the ground. Customers should always assume that downed wires are energized and avoid them. Customers are asked to immediately report a downed wire by calling 1-800-833-7476. We also ask customers to let us know if they lose their power. They can report outages by calling 1-800-833-7476, visiting www.atlanticcityelectric.com or through our mobile app, available for download at www.atlanticcityelectric.com/mobileapp. It’s important that customers report their outages and request a call back to verify their power has been restored.”

Atlantic City Electric also provided the following safety tips:

· Assemble an emergency storm kit. Include a battery-powered radio or television, flashlight, a first-aid kit, battery-powered or windup clock, extra batteries, special needs items, an insulated cooler and a list of important and emergency phone numbers.

· Keep at least a three-day supply of nonperishable foods and bottled water and have a hand-operated can opener available.

· Have adequate prescription medicines or infant supplies on hand.

· Make sure you have a telephone with a cord or cell phone to use as a backup. Cordless telephones require electricity to operate and won’t work if there is an outage.

· Identify a safe alternate location in case of an extended outage.

· Tune to local news broadcasts for the latest weather and emergency information.

· Follow the advice of local emergency management officials.

· Protect electronic equipment. Unplug sensitive electronics or plug computers and other sensitive equipment into surge suppressors and consider an uninterruptible power supply for temporary battery backup power.

· If a portable generator is needed, follow the manufacturer’s instructions and use only when necessary. Don’t overload it and turn it off at night while asleep and when away from home. Do not run a generator indoors or in an enclosed garage.

· Turn off power to flood-prone basement appliances if it is safe to do so. However, if using an electrically operated sump pump, the customer should not turn off the power.