Summer Storm Season Arrives
Are You Prepared?
Fredericksburg, Va. –On an ordinary Wednesday in late February 2016, a tornado tore through Essex and surrounding counties. With winds of up to 165 mph, the twister literally turned some communities upside down.
On a random Tuesday in March 2018, winds kicked up gradually at first. As early evening turned into overnight, it became clear the gusts were only increasing in speed. Even worse, they were not going to quit anytime soon. Thirty-six hours later, Wind Storm Riley had broken more than 350 poles and left more than 45,000 Rappahannock Electric Cooperative (REC) member-owners in the dark.
Just last year, on an otherwise quiet Tuesday in May, a line of severe storms roared through the commonwealth and knocked out power to nearly 20,000 members.
It is a well-known saying that if you don’t like the weather in Virginia, just wait a few hours. As we enter peak summer storm season, that adage is no joke. An early morning forecast for a chance of a scattered thunderstorm can quickly become a storm warning with a potential tornado by late afternoon.
At REC, our lineworkers, contractors, tree crews, dispatch team and other employees are always ready to respond as needed. The Cooperative keeps plenty of supplies such as poles, cross-arms and transformers on hand, so field crews can quickly make repairs and repair service.
June marks the start of hurricane season, so REC urges all member-owners to also prepare now for potential storms. Here’s a list of REC’s storm prep kit essentials:
- Cash
- Can opener
- Battery-powered radio
- Variety of tools
- Drinking water
- Medications
- Blankets
- Pet food
- Canned food
- First-aid supplies
You can find a more detailed list on REC’s website at https://myrec.coop/stormprep.
REC provides electric service to over 170,000 connections in parts of 22 Virginia counties. With its general office in Fredericksburg, Va., the Cooperative operates and maintains more than 17,000 miles of power lines through its service area, which ranges from the Blue Ridge Mountains to the tidal waters of the Chesapeake Bay. For more information about REC, please visit www.myrec.coop. Follow REC on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.