Currents-June 2023

JUNE 2023

Suwannee Valley

CURRENTS

Hurricane 2023 Preparedness Guide Atlantic hurricane season is June 1 to Nov. 30. Are you ready?

CEO’S MESSAGE

Suwannee Valley

CURRENTS June 2023

Michael S. McWaters Executive V.P./CEO

Suwannee Valley Currents is a monthly newsletter published by Suwannee Valley Electric Cooperative, © 2023. It is distributed without charge to all consumermembers of the cooperative.

Ready for the storm Hurricane season probably isn’t most SVEC members’ favorite time to be a Floridian. For most of the year, we can revel in the ample sunshine and natural beauty that defines this region. But we always enjoy those benefits knowing we’ll need to prepare for the possibility of less-friendly weather down the road.

As individuals, that isn’t something we can leave to the last minute. We know that we need to make our plans with family members, prepare kits of supplies for a worst-case scenario and fortify our homes as much as we can long before the clouds begin to gather and the winds pick up.

It’s the same for us as your cooperative. At SVEC, we plan for hurricane season all year long to make sure our consumer-members have the reliable electric service they need, even during the worst weather. While preventing every outage is impossible, we can always take steps to reduce them and cut down the time it takes us to respond when they occur.

We do that by maintaining and improving our system throughout the year, as well as trimming back tree branches that could

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fall and knock out service. We inspect thousands of pieces of equipment, including poles, lines and lightning arrestors, making sure they’re ready to stand up during a storm.

Last year, we also rolled out the ability for consumer-members to report and check on the status of outages by simply sending a text message. The easier it is for you to let us know when you’re experiencing an outage, the faster we can fix the problem.

Those efforts have served us well.

In recent years we’ve been fortunate to not receive the full force of major storms. Even when our system was damaged by Hurricane Elsa in June 2021, leaving more than 12,000 consumer-members without power, we were able to restore power in just 24 hours with the help of contractors and mutual-aid cooperatives.

In those times when our system is spared, we return the favor by sending our crews to help out other cooperatives that haven’t been as lucky. That mutual support provides some extra peace of mind that when it’s our turn to repair widespread damage, we’ll be able to rely on the helping hands of our fellow cooperatives.

I hope all of you are as well prepared for hurricane season as your cooperative is. If you need a few ideas to get started, this newsletter can point you in the right direction. Whether it’s putting together a disaster preparedness kit, knowing how to safely use a backup generator or learning what repairs take priority after a storm, we’ve got you covered. 

WE BELONG TO THOSE WE SERVE Business Office: 800-447-4509 11340 100th St. Live Oak, FL 32060 Lobby Hours: 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Monday-Friday Drive-thru Kiosk Open 24 Hours 24/7 Power Outage Reporting 800-752-0025 svec-coop.com facebook.com/sveccoop @SVEC_COOP_FL Instagram.com/sveccoop SVEC is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

On the cover: With the support of SVEC, the Smart Garden project is helping researchers better understand the future of hydroponics and indoor agriculture.

See more, Page 4.

Suwannee Valley Currents

STORM KIT CHECKLIST A family storm kit is essential in planning for a disaster

At a minimum, your storm kit should include the following items: • Water (1 gallon per person per day for seven days) • Nonperishable food • First-aid kit • At least a two-week supply of medication and medical supplies used regularly • Specialty items for infants, small children, the elderly and those family members with a disability • Seasonal or rain gear and sturdy shoes or boots • Clothing • Vehicle — Make sure tank is filled with gasoline.

Pet care items • Pet food and water • Proper identification • A carrier or cage • Muzzle and leash • Water and food bowls • Medications

Special needs items • At least a seven-day supply of nonperishable, packaged or canned food and beverages, snack foods, juices, baby food and any special dietary needs • Flashlight — Do not use candles and be sure to have enough batteries.

• Battery-operated or hand-cranked NOAA weather radio • Cash — Banks and ATMs may not be available after a storm.

• Bank account and credit card numbers • Insurance cards • Medical records • Other personal documents • Nonelectric can opener • Paper plates • Napkins • Plastic cups • Utensils • Set of car, house and office keys • Items should be kept in a waterproof container.

• Important phone numbers including family, friends, county emergency management, doctors, banks, schools, veterinarian and SVEC’s outage reporting number, 800-752-0025

Your co-op — svec-coop.com

Access these websites for information on how to prepare for hurricane season

Suwannee Valley Currents

The Florida Division of Emergency Management — floridadisaster.org Learn about hurricane hazards, what to do when a warning is issued in your area and how to prepare for a storm.

The National Hurricane Center — nhc.noaa.gov Follow the path of any active hurricane to determine if the forecast places your home in an area likely to be affected.

Federal Emergency Management Agency — fema.gov Apply for assistance after a storm hits and learn about flood zones in your community.

Ready (from the Department of Homeland Security) — ready.gov Make a plan, build a preparedness kit and more with tips from this site.

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REPORTING AN OUTAGE HAS NEVER BEEN easier We work diligently to fortify our system against storm damage, but outages are inevitable. If you lose power, there are several convenient ways to report the outage and get the lights back on as soon as possible.

Our outage management system uses caller ID to quickly identify your service location based on your phone number. This makes reporting easier for you and helps us respond as fast as possible.

Make sure we have your current phone number on file before you report an outage or consider signing up to receive outage-related text messages.

To report an outage:

SmartHub

Select “Report an Issue / Inquiry” at the top of the home screen.

Website

Visit svec-coop.com, log in to your account and click on "“Report an Issue / Inquiry” at the far left of the home screen.

Text

Call

Text “out” to 800-752-0025. Dial 800-752-0025 to To enable this option, you report an outage. must first authorize it by texting “SVEC” to 800-7520025. The text option is only available to members with fewer than five accounts.

NOTE

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You may be asked for your meter number. Here’s where you can find it on your meter.

Suwannee Valley Currents

Generator safety

DOS &

DON’TS DO operate your generator in a well-ventilated area outside your home. it in your garage or near doors, windows and vents. The carbon DON'T run monoxide produced by a generator could be toxic in an enclosed space.

DO start the generator before connecting appliances.

DON'T connect a standby generator directly to your home’s electrical system.

DO stationary generator — keep your house circuits separate from the cooperative’s. have a professional install an approved generator transfer switch for a

DO plug appliances directly into the outlet provided on a portable generator. a heavy-duty extension cord to connect electric appliances to the outlet DO use on the generator.

Move Over It’s the law

If you see stopped law enforcement, emergency, sanitation, utility service or tow trucks on the side of the road, remember to move over a lane.

If you can’t move over, slow down to 20 mph less than the posted speed limit.

If the posted speed limit is 20 mph or less, slow down to 5 mph.

Suwannee Valley Currents

JUNE 2023 | 5

Who fixes electric equipment?

When storms damage electrical components, members often assume the cooperative bears responsibility for all repairs. But depending on the equipment’s location, some repairs may be your responsibility.

Whether you have above-ground or underground service, you may need to repair certain components before power can be restored to your home. Always put safety first when working with electrical equipment and call SVEC if you have questions.

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Suwannee Valley Currents

High-Voltage Transmission Lines These lines serve thousands of members and must be repaired so other parts of the system can operate.

Main Distribution Feeders

Repairing damage to feeder lines can bring the lights back on for entire communities or housing developments.

Distribution Substations

Each substation serves hundreds, or even thousands, of members. Repairing this equipment can restore power to many households at once.

Tap Lines These smaller supply lines are next. They deliver power to transformers outside businesses, schools and homes.

Service Lines Locations still without power may require repairs to the service line between a transformer and the residence or businesses.

Powering up after an outage Once a storm passes, SVEC crews often work long hours to restore power. It begins with the repairs that get the lights on for the greatest number of people in the shortest time that is safely possible. Above is a breakdown of the steps we take to restore power safely and efficiently.

Suwannee Valley Currents

JUNE 2023 | 7

WHAT TO DO AFTER THE STORM After a storm has passed, it’s time to start thinking about what’s next. With safety in mind: • Report any electrical outages in your area to SVEC. • Use protective gear, like gloves, during any cleanup.

• Stay away from downed power lines.

• Never attempt to remove tree limbs or branches from power lines.

• Give emergency and utility vehicles the right of way to allow for faster recovery.

• If evacuated, monitor reports to determine when it is safe to return home.

• Contact friends and family to let them know you are safe.

Stay up-to-date

on repairs

Stay clear of downed power lines!

Downed power lines can energize the ground for up to 35 feet! If you encounter a downed power line, notify SVEC immediately.

WQHL 98.1 FM, Live Oak and WJHC 107.5 FM, Jasper (Tune in from 8-9 a.m. and 5-6 p.m.)

Facebook.com/sveccoop svec-coop.com/storm-updates @SVEC_COOP_FL

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Suwannee Valley Currents