News Release > Are You Ready for the Season? Entergy Offers Hurricane Preparation and Safety Tips

Are You Ready for the Season? Entergy Offers Hurricane Preparation and Safety Tips

05/28/2019

Hurricane season starts June 1. And although slightly below-normal activity is predicted this year, we know that it only takes one storm to affect our customers. Entergy is ready to safely and quickly restore power should a tropical system head our way.

“Along the Gulf Coast, it is not a matter of if, but when, a hurricane will strike, which is why we have a plan of continuous preparation, training and action in place that we call Operation: Storm Ready,” said Melonie Stewart, Louisiana vice president of distribution operations. “While we may not know exactly when and where, we know that we must always be prepared. We encourage all of our customers to be prepared, too.”

Staying Prepared is Key

Staying Storm Ready is a year-round effort, and it begins with monitoring weather systems around the clock, every day of the year. When there’s a severe weather threat, Entergy uses forecasts and computer models based on experience with past storms to predict an estimated number and duration of outages that could occur. Based on those estimates, Entergy will call on restoration workers from around the country as needed to safely get the power back on as quickly as possible.

Assessing damage, deploying personnel to the right place with the right materials and restoring power are all processes Entergy continually plans for and improves. In fact, employees across the Entergy system completed annual storm-response exercises earlier this month to make sure company procedures are reviewed and updated prior to the beginning of hurricane season.

“We plan for the worst, and hope for the best. And while we hope that no tropical weather events threaten our area, these measures help our employees understand their roles and responsibilities in the event of a major restoration,” said Stewart. “Safety is a core value at Entergy and we encourage you to make it your top priority, too. We urge you and your families to get your personal storm plans in place now.”

Important safety tips such as staying away from downed power lines and debris, not walking in standing water and following the instructions of local authorities can be found on the Entergy Storm Center.

Staying Informed is Essential

Just as important as making personal storm plans is the ability to stay informed before, during and after a storm. Entergy keeps customers up-to-date in a number of ways:

• An app is available for iPhone or Android at entergyapp.com. Customers can use the app to report outages or check on the status of power at their home or business.
• Entergy’s View Outages website includes maps that show where outages are located and give information about restoration progress.
• Entergy sends and can receive text messages about storm and restoration efforts. Customers can sign up by texting REG to 368374.
• The Entergy Storm Center website has storm safety, preparation and restoration information that is updated throughout the day.
• Operation: Storm Ready is a free downloadable guide that helps customers plan and prepare for weather emergencies.

Social media plays an important role in keeping customers informed, and Entergy places a high priority on keeping its social media sites updated throughout an event. Follow Entergy New Orleans on Twitter at @EntergyNOLA and on Facebook at facebook.com/EntergyNOLA. Follow Entergy Louisiana on Twitter at @EntergyLA and on Facebook at facebook.com/EntergyLA. And you always can access the main Entergy accounts at @Entergy or facebook.com/Entergy.

Entergy New Orleans, LLC is an electric and gas utility that serves Louisiana’s Orleans Parish. The company provides electricity to more than 200,000 customers and natural gas to more than 106,000 customers.

Entergy Louisiana, LLC provides electric service to more than 1 million customers and natural gas service to more than 93,000 customers in the greater Baton Rouge area. With operations in southern, central and northeastern Louisiana. Both companies are subsidiaries of Entergy Corporation.

Entergy Corporation is an integrated energy company engaged primarily in electric power production and retail distribution operations. Entergy owns and operates power plants with approximately 30,000 megawatts of electric generating capacity, including nearly 9,000 megawatts of nuclear power. Entergy delivers electricity to 2.9 million utility customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Entergy has annual revenues of approximately $11 billion and more than 13,000 employees.