By Staff Reports
(Honolulu) – Hurricane Season is officially underway, and the National Weather Service is predicting another potentially busy storm season. The Hawaiian Electric Companies urge all customers to make plans to safeguard themselves and their families and to consider the following safety tips:
- Gather emergency supplies, such as a battery-powered radio, flashlights, lanterns, and batteries. Be prepared to monitor storm-related communications issued over emergency broadcast radio stations.
- Store enough water, non-perishable food, medicine, and personal hygiene supplies for your family members and pets to last at least seven days.
- Routinely use high-quality surge protectors to help protect household appliances that incorporate electronics, computer equipment, home entertainment systems, and motors.
- Unplug all unnecessary electric appliances and equipment during a storm or a power outage. Do not plug the equipment back in until power has been restored and remains on steadily.
- Consider having a backup generator if you are dependent on an electrically powered life support system. Or, make plans to go to an alternate location where electricity will be available. Be prepared to take your medical equipment and medications with you.
- If you need to evacuate to safer shelter, shut off your electricity at the main breaker or switch.
If there is a major power outage, the Hawaiian Electric Companies will provide safety information to local media, including power restoration updates. Outage notifications are also proactively issued on the companies’ Twitter accounts, with the following hashtags:
If a storm knocks down a power line, stay at least 30 feet away from it. To report a fallen line or a power outage, call your electric utility’s trouble line:
Hawai‘i Island 969-6666
Lâna‘i 1-877-871-8461
Maui 871-7777
Moloka‘i 1-877-871-8461
O‘ahu 1-855-304-1212
For more safety tips, refer to the Hawaiian Electric Companies’ Information Handbook for Emergency Preparedness online at www.hawaiianelectric.com/prepare, or call (808) 543-7511 to request a copy. It’s available in Cantonese, English, Ilocano, Korean, and Vietnamese.