Hawaiian Electric monitoring Hurricane Fausto, preparing for possible impact

With Hurricane Fausto approaching and possibly reaching the islands early next week, Hawaiian Electric urges its customers to review their emergency plans, ensure they have supplies they need on hand and keep close watch on the development of the storm.

Preparation and safety tips are available at hawaiianelectric.com/stormcenter. Detailed tips also may be found in the company’s free Handbook for Emergency Preparedness, which can be downloaded from the company’s website at hawaiianelectric.com/prepare.

To prepare for a severe storm, Hawaiian Electric conducts training to prepare employees to respond safely and as quickly as possible to storms and other emergencies, according to a news release from the power company. They also conduct outreach with federal, state and local agencies to ensure coordination of response efforts.

Preparation includes strengthening infrastructure by doing ongoing vegetation management; inspecting and upgrading poles, power lines, transformers and other equipment, as well as conducting ongoing maintenance of generating units

Hawaiian Electric urges customers to take the following safety precautions, as appropriate:

• Check emergency equipment, such as flashlights, emergency generators, battery-operated (hand-crank or solar) radios, light sticks and lanterns to be sure they are operational, and buy extra batteries.

• If someone in your home is dependent on electrically powered, life-sustaining medical equipment, check backup facilities. Plan where to go should the need for evacuation occurs. If you need to go to the hospital or other emergency shelter, remember to take your medical equipment and medications with you to the facility.

• If you plan to use a ladder while preparing your home for the storm, note the location of power lines before you begin. Be sure that ladders or scaffolds are far enough away so that you – and the ends of the tools you’re using – stay at least 10 feet away from power lines. Before lowering a TV antennae or satellite dish, make sure to turn off and unplug the TV.

• If you plan to use a portable generator after the storm, make sure it is placed in a well-ventilated area outside the home, and be sure to carefully follow all instructions in the manufacturer’s manual.