Potential Ice Storm, Prepare in Advance for New Year
Fredericksburg, Va. –Flooding and freezing rain were not what we had hoped for to kick off the New Year, but Mother Nature seems to have other plans. Take steps now to prepare for possible outages as a low pressure front moves into parts of the Rappahannock Electric Cooperative (REC) service area late Thursday and into Friday, New Year’s Day.
Forecasters caution the front could bring flooding rains, followed by freezing rains in the higher elevations in the counties of Clarke, Warren, Fauquier, Rappahannock, Madison and Greene. It is predicted that some of these areas could see up to a quarter inch of ice, which can wreak havoc on trees and power lines.
REC crews are on standby to respond to any outages that might occur, and we urge member-owners to prepare now, as well.
Make sure you have flashlights and fresh batteries. Also gather extra blankets and additional layers of clothing in case they are needed, and charge all electronics such as cell phones.
For more tips on how to prepare, please visitmyrec.coop/stormprep. Other steps you can take now:
- Bookmark REC’s website to report an outage or to find the latest on restoration efforts. You also can sign up to receive Outage Text Alerts: myrec.coop/outagecenter.
- Remember that you can use your smart phone to report an outage at myrec.coop/out. You also can report an outage in MyREC SmartHub.
- If someone in your home requires electricity for a serious medical condition, identify an alternate location with power that you can rely on during an outage.
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, and YouTube.