Utility crews are making preparations to respond to any service issues that may arise on the mainland or Ocracoke Island. On Thursdaymorning, a five-man contract crew will board the Swan Quarter ferry to Ocracoke where they will be stationed throughout the weather event to assist the co-op’s four full time island employees as needed. Tideland EMC is also sending two additional bucket trucks and a digger derrick to Ocracoke to supplement other equipment already stationed on the island.

On the mainland, Tideland EMC has beefed up existing resources by staging an additional five-man contract crew and related equipment in Beaufort County ahead of the storm’s arrival. Tideland also has commitments from other North Carolina electric cooperatives that are prepared to assist with power restoration efforts if outages are more widespread than currently forecast.

The co-op has no plans to shut power off in advance of the storm and is prepared to run the Ocracoke generator in the event of a prolonged outage. However, the ability of the generator to power the island in an emergency situation will largely depend on electric load. Therefore, island residents will be asked to practice extreme conservation efforts if the generator is called into service.

Co-op members should keep in mind that power restoration activities do not begin until storm conditions have sufficiently subsided to ensure safe working conditions for utility crews. Individuals who depend on electrically powered medical equipment are advised to seek shelter at facilities with emergency generators. Tideland EMC reminds all consumers that back-up generators can be deadly when not properly operated. Never connect a generator to household wiring without a properly installed transfer switch. Never refuel a generator when the engine is running and allow the unit to cool before adding gas. To avoid electrocution or carbon-monoxide poisoning, ground the generator properly and operate in a dry, well ventilated area. Finally, avoid plugging damaged, undersized or ungrounded extension cords into any generator. Always treat downed electric lines as potentially energized.

The public may view power restoration progress via the cooperative’s website, www.tidelandemc.com, which includes a link to Tideland’s outage map and Facebook page. Tideland EMC is a member-owned distribution cooperative serving 22,500 accounts in Hyde, Beaufort, Pamlico, Dare, Washington and Craven counties. We are an equal opportunity service provider and employer.