Emergency services and power companies prepare ahead of the storm

CAPE FEAR REGION (WWAY) — Rough weather may be on the way. 

Emergency management agencies and those in charge of critical services are all on alert. Power companies are also keeping a watchful eye on the weather. 

Duke Energy is gearing up for the storm that’s expected to cause power disruptions across the Cape Fear. 

Duke Energy said there are a few things you can do that will keep you and your loved ones safe. 

“The potential exists all across the state, certainly Central and Eastern North Carolina have a lot of potential because a lot of that offshore wind coming in and the rain we are going to see,” Duke Energy Spokesperson Jeff Brooks said. 

Brooks said it’s hard to say what areas will be most impacted so be ready for anything.  

He said among the most important things to remember, stay away from power lines that have fallen or have started to hang.  

Always consider downed power lines, trees, limbs, or anything else in contact with the lines as energized and dangerous.  

Brooks said he would even recommend staying inside as the expected high winds will likely create hazardous conditions in neighborhoods and on the roads.  

“Our first mission is always to restore power as quickly and safely as we can. But we have to also make sure we are thinking about the safety of our crews,” Brooks said. 

“There’s going to be a lot of high winds and that does create some limits on when we can put our buckets in the air. They’re working with high voltage electricity. Obviously, we need to do this in a way that’s going to be safe.”  

Brooks said if this storm does cause widespread outages, he and his team ask for your patience as they work to restore power.  

“Any flooding that you come upon, it’s always safer to turn around, don’t drown,” Brunswick County Emergency Management Director David McIntire said. 

McIntire said it’s also important to actively stay up to date on how the storm is progressing.  

“We’ll recommend staying off of the road and make sure you’re listening to weather radios and the local media,” McIntire said.  

McIntire said one way you can do so is by signing up for your county’s alert system.