Storm preparedness with Casey Hollins of Rappahannock Electric

With up to 10 inches of snow coming, we gotta be ready for this one! Hopefully it won't be that much but...what should we be thinking about having on hand, and doing to get ready for a big snow event? Casey tells us...

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Here on the Q one O two community microphone. It
is Casey Hollins. She is with Rappahannic Electric Cooperative and
we've got this big storm ahead of us and we
wanted to talk storm preparedness.

Speaker 2 (00:10):
Huh how about that, Casey? Good morning? How are you?

Speaker 3 (00:13):
Good morning? I'm doing well?

Speaker 2 (00:15):
How are you really good?

Speaker 1 (00:16):
Glad you'd speak with this on such short notice, but
we've got a big, a whopper of a storm coming through.
I know you guys are getting prepared, but how can
we be prepared well?

Speaker 3 (00:25):
We have a lot of information that we put on
our website for our members or anyone really to be
able to go to and find out key steps they
can take to prepare now before winter weather hits. We've
got a great storm prep checklist for you to be
able to start pulling together essential items that you probably
already have at home to create a storm prep kit.
And this is really something that you can use anytime.

(00:47):
So if we get lucky in the weather forecast change,
don't feel like you did this for nothing, because you're
always going to need these things. Think about things like
fresh batteries and flashlights, think about nonpairs foods. A handheld
can opener. A lot of us don't use those these days,
but you'll need that. It's have power and it's going

(01:07):
to be cold, so make sure you start pulling together
extra bedding and blankets and start thinking about how you
can layer up to stay comfortable and safe. And then,
you know, outside of that, really start thinking about what
your plan is for a backup heating source if you
lose power, how are you going to stay warm? How
are you going to keep your family safe? If you

(01:28):
need to start working on a plan to go somewhere else,
start putting that plan together now.

Speaker 1 (01:33):
So you know, we like to hope for the best,
prepare for the worst. The best thing that could happen
is you do all this and you never have to
use it. But if you do have to suddenly find
yourself in a situation where the power's out, we don't
have heat, I guess stay warm. You'll have all that
right at hand, which is a really good thing to do.
How many inches are we expecting glri.

Speaker 2 (01:52):
I'm seeing anywhere from five to eleven. I mean, it's
it's all over the place.

Speaker 1 (01:56):
And look, Casey, we know you guys with your linemen,
you're always trimming tree. We see that so that there's
a smaller chance of losing power, but the inevitable happens, right,
you will see some lines that go down, and you, guys,
you're ready for that.

Speaker 3 (02:11):
Right, absolutely, we're ready. And you mentioned that we've done
a lot of work to maintain the right of way
around our power lines. We've been upgrading the electric equipment
that we have stronger, taller, more durable polls, and we
hope all of that can withstand mother nature. But we
know that not everything is going to be completely preventable,
so we've done a lot of the work that we can.

(02:33):
Now our crews are on standby so that they can
respond quickly and efficiently and safely. You know, we don't
send our crews out in conditions that are going to
be unsafe for them, but as soon as those conditions
clear up and our crews go back out. We also
have an incredibly strong network of electric co ops in
our neighbors that we can call on to come help

(02:54):
us if damage is extensive and we need additional support,
so that we can work around the clock with those
additional team members to get your power restored.

Speaker 1 (03:02):
Awesome, well, casey, we hope that we never have to
live through something like that, but we know this snow
is coming, so being prepared is a really smart thing
to do, and you've made it easy with your lists.

Speaker 2 (03:13):
Again, what's your website.

Speaker 3 (03:15):
Our website is myric dot co op slash storm Prep.
You can find all of the information there, including our outage.

Speaker 2 (03:22):
Map, and we will make it easy.

Speaker 1 (03:23):
We'll put a quick link at Chris Anddlorishow dot com
to get your right to that website because a lot
of folks know Chrisonlourishow dot com who are listening right now.

Speaker 2 (03:31):
Makes it easy for him. Listen, Casey, is there anything else?

Speaker 3 (03:35):
That's it? We hope you stay safe and comfortable and
you know, maybe do a snowdance so we don't have
anything but light, powdery snow.

Speaker 1 (03:42):
I love it very good. Caseyhollins is with Rappahannock Electric Cooperative.
Thank you so much for all the service you do
to the community, and thank you again so much for
putting together these lists and speaking with us this morning.
We really appreciate it.

Speaker 3 (03:55):
All right, thank you. Have a safe weekend.