Four County EMC Storm Update
October 13th, 2016
Extensive damage in the White Oak area of Bladen County with flooding down trees and power lines. More than 95 percent of Four County EMC members have power five days after Hurricane Matthew left approximately 29,000 of them in the dark. About 1,100 remain without service, mostly in Bladen and Sampson counties
About 1,100 remain without service, mostly in Bladen and Sampson counties. Even if the area directly around the member is not flooded, the terrain where the repairs are needed may be flooded. Crews will continue to monitor these areas closely so repairs can be made as soon as possible. Also, some areas of Duplin and Pender County, where flooding is also a problem, still have no electricity.
The remaining outages, in part, represent individual services that will make progress seem slower. In these cases, the repair teams were able to energize a whole line, but an individual’s house has damage confined only to their individual service. Also, tap lines that serve small groups – 2 or 3 services, are also part of the remaining outages.
Many areas still have wire and poles down as well as trees to remove. The areas of Tar Heel and White Oak were hit the hardest.
We understand those still without power are feeling very frustrated being in the dark for so long. We've got a team of about 250 linemen, contractors and tree crews, including Four County EMC employees, who are working as safely and quickly as possible to get everyone back in service. Restoring power quickly and safely is Four County EMC’s priority.
We thank our members for their patience and many kind words as crews and co-op staff have worked tirelessly and diligently to rebuild after the storm and historic flooding. We will work until lights are back on for all members. Please report outages to 1-888-368-7289.
Get outage updates by checking our real-time system map at www.fourcty.org or follow Four County EMC on Facebook and Twitter.
Safety:
· Never wade into, or drive through, flood water.
· Only use generators and charcoal grills in well-ventilated areas; a garage does not count as a well-ventilated area.
· Never connect a generator directly to a home’s wiring. Instead, use an extension cord to plug lights and appliances into the generator.
· Never touch a downed power line, and remember that sometimes debris can cover fallen lines, making them difficult to spot.
· Stay far away from downed or sagging power lines. Always assume that a power line is energized and potentially deadly.
· Help keep our crews safe. If you see utility crews working on the side of the road, slow down and drive carefully.