The 2009 hurricane season began June 1 and Dixie Electric Power Association general manager Alan Bradley is confident his employees are prepared if a disastrous storm threatens the area. Providing information on Dixie Electric’s plans to protect customers and the process of restoring power to almost 38,000 customers in a seven-county area was one of the primary goals of Thursday’s Severe Weather and Energy Awareness Day held at the Laurel office.

Dixie Electric will host similar events June 15 in Petal and June 25 in Waynesboro, Bradley said.

Participants at the day-long energy fair received information on ways to protect homes and businesses when a hurricane or other major storm is looming. Engineers and representatives from several departments covered the key elements related to weather preparedness, ranging from purchasing and installing a generator to stocking a home supply cabinet.

Tim Martin, an energy advisor with sister association, East Mississippi Electric Power Association, displayed a 5,000-watt generator, which he says is the “minimum size” for operating major household appliances. Martin offered cautionary words for those operating their generators under a carport or even worse, an enclosed garage: “Move it outside.”

“The best scenario is when a generator is placed in the yard and heavy-duty extension cords are run through the windows of the home from the appliance to the generator,” Martin said. “There is no danger in the generator getting rained on; the real danger is placing it too near the home.”

For those seeking to fully energize their home, Martin recommends installing a transformer switch. This covered metal box is an important factor in the prevention of electrical problems within the home. Martin said a licensed electrician can easily install this extra piece of equipment sold at electrical supply stores.

Operations manager Phillip Shaw used a colorful poster to explain the five major steps involved in power restoration. “When is my power coming back on and why is it taking so long?” were two questions officials heard hundreds of times each day for several days following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. Educating the public on the process should alleviate questions, as well as the frustration that accompanies power loss, Shaw said.

“Most people had no idea the obstacles we faced when Katrina hit in 2005,” he said. “Due to winds of over 135 miles per hour, over 4,000 poles were broken and in need of repair. Some people became very upset when their neighbor’s power came back on and theirs did not. What they didn’t understand was that the neighbor’s lines fed from a different substation. Today, we want to provide more information about our infrastructure, how it works and how it affects our ability to restore power.”

Bradley agreed Katrina devastated Dixie Electric’s infrastructure, causing employees to work 16-hour days for three weeks while repairing poles and 5,000 miles of lines. While it was an experience he hopes never to repeat, he is quick to point out the positive changes that have resulted from Katrina.

“We obviously had an emergency preparedness plan and periodically conducted drills, but nothing existed to prepare us for that type of hurricane,” Bradley said. “Since then, we have compiled a much more thorough emergency plan that, among many factors, serves to guide the deployment of personnel and backup resources in the quickest, most efficient manner.”

Bradley said Dixie Electric regularly tests the readiness of its main operational system and back up systems. The threat of Hurricane Gustav in September, 2008, illustrated that adequate plans exist to respond to a major storm.

“All of these very detailed plans are designed to provide customers maximum reliability from Dixie Electric during the time of greatest need,” Bradley said. “Our customers depend on us and we are definitely more prepared; we proved that when Gustav threatened.”

Bradley said the electric power association along with the company’s numerous outlying resources will be on high alert throughout the 2009 hurricane season, which runs through November. At least seven, and possibly more, hurricanes are expected to form in the Atlantic this summer, according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecasts.

Photo/Kara Kimbrough