Wiregrass Electric Cooperative Prepared for Hurricane Isaias

HARTFORD, Alabama – Wiregrass Electric Cooperative is closely monitoring Hurricane Isaias, which could bring severe weather to the Wiregrass area this weekend. WEC crews are prepared to respond quickly and safely should the storm cause outages across the cooperative’s service territory.

WEC has been monitoring weather forecasts and preparing personnel, equipment and other resources ahead of the system’s potential arrival.

“Our team prepares year-round for severe weather events, and we are ready to respond if this hurricane impacts our members,” said Brad Kimbro, chief executive officer of Wiregrass Electric Cooperative.

“The safety of our members and employees is always our top priority. If outages occur, our crews will work as safely and efficiently as possible to restore power.”

WEC encourages members to prepare now by reviewing their family emergency plans, charging phones and other essential devices, securing outdoor items and making sure they have necessary supplies on hand.

If outages occur, WEC reminds members to stay away from downed power lines and always treat them as energized. Downed lines or other hazardous situations should be reported immediately.

Members should also use generators with extreme caution. Generators should never be operated inside a home, garage or other enclosed space and should be placed a safe distance away from doors, windows and vents. NEVER plug a generator into a household wall outlet. This can cause electricity to backfeed onto power lines, creating a potentially deadly hazard for WEC lineworkers and others. If you want a generator to power your home’s electrical system, it must be connected through a properly installed transfer switch or other approved equipment that safely isolates your home from WEC’s electric system.

During widespread outages, WEC follows an established restoration process designed to restore power safely and efficiently to the greatest number of members possible. Crews first address hazards and damage affecting major facilities and distribution lines before moving to smaller outages and individual locations.

“We understand how important reliable electric service is, especially during severe weather,” Kimbro said. “Our members can be assured that our team is prepared, and if this hurricane affects our system, we will be there working to restore service as quickly and safely as conditions allow.”

WEC will continue monitoring the hurricane and will provide updates to members as conditions develop. Members are encouraged to follow Wiregrass Electric Cooperative’s official communication channels and visit wiregrass.coop for the latest information.