Hurricane & Storm Communications Toolkit

• There are currently ________________ [insert number and utility name] customers without power. Crews have restored power to ________________ [insert percentage of customers or number of customers]. Our lineworkers and mutual aid crews are working as quickly and safely as possible to get everyone back online.
• Need to report a power outage in your area? Here’s how: ________________ [insert information about how customers can report power outages]. Please report the outage even if you think someone else may have already done it. Every report helps us pinpoint and address problem areas faster.
• Right now, power restoration crews are working in ________________ [insert general area/street names/neighborhoods]. Once we’ve restored power to this area, we’ll move on to the next until every last customer is restored.
• Our best estimate for power restoration at this point for customers able to safely receive power is ________________ [insert expected restoration time in hours/days]. Keep in mind this is just an estimate. Some streets or neighborhoods may have much more damage than anticipated. Customers with damaged electrical equipment may be unable to safely receive power until the equipment is repaired by a qualified electrician.
• Power has been restored to ________________ [insert percentage of customers or number of customers]. We’re working to get the rest of you back to normal as quickly as we possibly can. Thank you for your patience.
• If crews leave your area and power has not been restored, conditions could have become unsafe or additional supplies may be needed. We’ll be back as soon as we can. Thank you for your patience.
• Immediately following the storm, avoid driving around in your car to protect your safety and allow first responders access to roadways.  If you do have to drive, move over for roadside crews, emergency workers and utility vehicles and personnel. It’s the law.

• We have mutual aid agreements with utilities across Florida and the nation that help us access additional crews and resources in times of need. Crews from all over Florida and other parts of the country have come here to help get power back on as fast as possible. Thanks to                           [insert names of organizations/companies sending aid]!
• Our lineworkers are your neighbors – and they’re out there working long hours in difficult conditions to restore power for our community. We’re grateful for their dedication!
• There are ___________ [inset number] personnel in the field restoring power. This includes more than ___________ [insert number] mutual aid personnel from ___________ [list states or utilities names] from across the nation/Florida.

• Power is always restored in a priority order. First, we identify downed lines and damaged areas and ensure power to that location is shut off. Then we repair power plants, transmission lines, substations and main distribution lines. Once the main power lines are repaired, crews turn their attention to individual customer outages.
• Our goal is always to restore power to as many people as possible as quickly as possible in priority order. Priorities in power restoration include essential facilities, such as hospitals, fire stations and police departments. Critical infrastructure like water pumping stations and communications facilities are also critical priority needs We also focus on vulnerable groups, including nursing home residents and those with special medical needs.
• There is an order for how power is restored. Once we get the power plants, transmission lines, substations and main power lines repaired, we turn our attention to critical facilities and needs, such as hospitals, fire stations, police departments, pumping stations and communications facilities. Then, we make sure our vulnerable populations – those in nursing homes and those with special needs are taken care of. Next up: neighborhoods and businesses. Restoring power to businesses provides key services to residents and minimizes economic loss to the community. Single residencies and customers further away from the more populated areas follow in the priority order. Our goal is always to restore power to the greatest number of people as quickly as possible.
• Lights may come back on across the street or in other parts of your neighborhood. This is normal. Different homes or parts of one neighborhood may be on different circuits. Also, some customers receive their power from a primary line versus a secondary line. Primary lines will be restored first. Your patience is appreciated.

Please let us know if you have any trouble accessing the folder for the above videos and we'll be happy to send the assets to you directly.