Each September, National Preparedness Month serves as a reminder that preparation is a shared responsibility. REC, local emergency responders and member-owners all have a role in helping communities stay safe and recover when severe weather or other unexpected events occur.
Your Cooperative
REC prepares for emergencies throughout the year. Employees monitor forecasts and potential threats so crews, equipment and other resources are ready when needed. REC's Operations Center is staffed 24/7 managing around the clock recovery operations during major storms. See "Inside REC's System Operations Center".
Preparation also means reducing risk before a storm arrives. Vegetation management, equipment inspections, pole replacements and system upgrades strengthen the electric system and help prevent avoidable outages. While no system can prevent every weather-related interruption, all this work supports safer, faster restoration.
Your Community
Emergency preparedness also depends on local emergency and first responder services, governments, nonprofits and neighbors — including organizations supported through REC donations and The Power of Change, which lets participating REC members round up their monthly electric bills to the nearest dollar to fund local grants.
Recent donations and grants have helped provide important response equipment. An REC donation to the Spotsylvania County Sheriff's Office supported the purchase of 116 LifeVac units, a simple-to-use device designed to help clear a blocked airway during a choking emergency. The Ruckersville Volunteer Fire Company received funding from The Power of Change for a gear extractor, a specialized washing system for protective equipment that helps firefighters clean their gear and stay ready for the next call.
Your Home
Every household needs a plan, too. Before an outage, assemble an emergency kit with water, ready-to-eat food, flashlights, batteries, medications, first-aid supplies, pet needs and important documents. Keep portable power banks charged and prepare any generator for safe outdoor use.
Stay connected by keeping your contact information current in MyREC SmartHub, enabling outage alerts and following REC on social media. During an outage, report it through SmartHub, at myrec.coop/out or by calling 1-800-552-3904.
Always stay far away from downed lines and anything touching them. Assume every line is energized and call 911 to report immediate danger.
