ROANOKE, Va. – Appalachian Power says it is monitoring the potential for severe weather to impact the company’s Virginia, West Virginia and Tennessee service area.
10 News has issued a Weather Authority Alert Day as storms Thursday and high winds through Saturday could lead to power outages.
Recommended Videos
[RELATED: 10 News Weather Authority Alert Day for April 11, 2024]
“All Appalachian Power crews and contractors are on alert in their respective locations, packed and prepared to work. The company will secure additional crews to assist if outages occur,” said the company in an email to 10 News. “Service restoration work during this storm could be slowed by impassable roads or long-duration high wind gusts that would make working aloft in buckets unsafe.”
APCo says you should do the following:
- Plan in the event a power outage occurs. Check with those who are elderly, have young children or have medical conditions to ensure they have a plan — and don’t forget your pets.
- Charge devices such as phones, laptops, portable chargers and other electronics that will help you stay connected.
- Prepare an emergency kit. At a minimum, include non-perishable food, water, a flashlight, batteries, a battery-powered radio, a first-aid kit and necessary medications.
- Windstorms cause damage that can bring down power lines. Customers should treat all downed lines as live power lines and stay away from them. Never touch downed power lines or sparking equipment. Keep children and pets away from fallen lines and anything the lines may touch and call 911 and Appalachian Power at 1-800-956-4237 immediately.
- If you plan to use an alternate heat source, ensure it is in good working order and follow all safety precautions. Only operate lanterns, heaters, fuel-fired stoves or burn charcoal with proper ventilation to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning and fires.
- Do not plug the generator into your circuit box using a portable or RV generator.
- Find additional safety tips at AppalachianPower.com/Safety.
- Customers can subscribe to Appalachian Power outage alerts to receive specific information about outages affecting their accounts via text message and/or email. To enroll, visit AppalachianPower.com/Alerts.
A snapshot view of current outages is available anytime at AppalachianPower.com/Outages.