April 10, 2025

It’s been a rainy spring this year, with storms, heavy rainfall and flooding affecting many parts of the country.

Take caution this season and don’t let inclement weather dampen your safety.

Be prepared for the arrival of storms and remember to stay vigilant as hard rain can quickly flood areas while strong winds can cause outages, uprooting trees, branches and other objects.

Here are some tips to help your friends, family and neighbors stay safe:

• Sign-up for your community’s emergency warning system and outage alerts.
• Discuss storm safety with your family and what to do in case of severe weather.
• Prepare an emergency kit. Include water bottles, non-perishable food, blankets, first-aid supplies, flashlights and a battery-powered radio.
• Know how to report an outage.
• Avoid driving through flooded areas. If hard rain and flooding is eminent, pull over in a safe spot and wait inside your car until the storm passes.
• Always avoid downed power lines.