Be Prepared

Jackson Energy Authority continuously monitors changing weather conditions for possible threats of bad weather. The possibility of severe weather events can often be forecast hours in advance, giving valuable time to set an emergency plan in motion. While Jackson Energy Authority follows an emergency plan, it’s a good idea for customers to have an emergency plan established to be better prepared for severe weather.

Establish an Emergency Plan

When you create your emergency plan, there are a few things you need to take into consideration:

• Is your Jackson Energy Authority account information current (email and phone)
• By what means will you receive emergency alerts or warnings
• What’s the best location for your emergency meeting place
• What’s the best location for your emergency kit
• What’s the best evacuation route in the event of an evacuation
• Where will you take shelter
• Specific needs or equipment for family members
• How will you communicate if you are separated from your family

Once you have determined your emergency plan and communicated it to every family member, make sure to practice emergency drills. Safeguard any important documents and be sure to have the property insured.

Create an Emergency Preparedness Kit

Threatening weather and catastrophic storms can happen at any time day or night. Not only is it important to have an emergency plan in place for natural disasters but also a well-prepared emergency kit. So while the weather is mild, it’s good to take a few steps ahead of time to be prepared in case potential severe weather causes outages for an extended period of time. Before severe weather strikes consider these helpful tips to create your emergency preparedness kit:

• Have a battery-operated portable radio, TV, or NOAA Weather Radio on hand to monitor official weather forecasts and to stay tuned into other important information for our area. Also, keep your cell phone and other devices you may need fully charged with chargers readily available.
• If you have a piece of life-sustaining medical equipment in your home or have special needs, have a back-up plan in place in the event of a utility outage. In many cases, we may not be able to give an estimated time for when power will be restored, so plan ahead. Being prepared in the case of a power outage is the best way to prevent a medical emergency from happening.
• Assemble an emergency supply kit of basic items your household may need during outages. Here are just a few items you may want to consider:
  • A 3-day supply of drinking water, non-perishable food items that require no cooking and manual can openers.
  • First aid supplies and any medications you or your family needs.
  • Flashlights and a supply of extra batteries.
  • Specialty items such as baby food, additional warm clothing, and a safe heat source.
  • Agencies like the American Red Cross and FEMA list other recommended items you may want to consider for your kit.
• If you have an emergency heating or power source, learn how to use it properly. Never use your gas oven, range or outdoor grill to heat your home. Doing so can cause deadly levels of carbon monoxide buildup in your home. Learn more about Generator Safety.
• Continue to monitor the media for important information. Also, you can visit our Outage Center web page and social media sites via battery-operated web devices for power restoration updates.
• Be familiar with Jackson Energy Authority utility safety tips.
• If you experience a power outage, please alert us by calling 731-422-7500.

Make sure your emergency kit contains the basic necessities, then consider the unique needs of your family and pets to include as well. Learn more about emergency preparedness kits.