Path of Electricity | Restoring Power

Electric service is one of the most reliable items you buy. Rarely will you find anything else so reliable. But there are times when it goes off. A power outage may occur during a seasonal storm, or may simply be caused by work being done on electrical lines. Whatever the cause, the following recommendations will help you cope with an outage while our employees are working to restore your electrical service.

Be prepared:

1. If someone in your home is dependent on medical equipment that requires electricity, call Altamaha EMC now. We will put your name on a priority list and during an outage we will do our best to restore service to you as soon as possible. However, you should also make arrangements to have an alternate power source available for emergencies.

2. Have a flashlight, battery-powered radio and extra batteries handy.

3. Store extra fuses near your fuse box.

When your power goes off:

1. First check your breaker box to be sure the problem is not there.

2. Check to see if your neighbors are without power too and if anyone has already called to report the outage. Everyone does not need to call. However, if you do see that you have an individual problem (such as a tree on the line to your house) or if the neighbors’ power comes back on and yours does not, you do need to call. You can report a power outage by calling our office at 912-526-8181, or toll-free at 800-822-4563.

3. Turn off all electrical appliances that were on before the outage occurred, especially air conditioning. This will permit the power to be put back on-line without being knocked off again by automatic limiting devices that protect the EMC electric system from overloads.

4. When you call, please be as brief as possible. Remember, many other members are trying to call and the telephone lines are limited. DON’T stay on the line with Altamaha EMC telephone operators explaining that your refrigerator or freezer is thawing, water is off, etc. This is information that we already know. These operators are trying to take hundreds of calls, set them up according to your map location and line feeds, and direct the outside crews at the same time. All these employees are sympathetic with your problem but they need as much time off the phone as possible to get your electricity back on. Your patience and cooperation are always greatly appreciated.

Extended Outage:

1. Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed if the power goes off.

2. Cook, if necessary, in the fireplace, over the grill or on the camping stove. Use the grill or camping stove outdoors to avoid toxic fumes.

3. During the summer you should open the windows and doors for ventilation.

Power Back On:

1. Once the electricity has been restored, turn on (if you need to) the appliances that you had turned off.

2. Stay clear of fallen power lines. Don’t step in puddles where lines are down, and don’t touch anything that comes in contact with a fallen line.

3. Make a note to restock the supplies you’ll need if there’s another power outage.