North Georgians are breathing a sign of relief after dodging the bullet that was Hurricane Michael. Many flashed back to memories of Hurricane Irma which hit just a little over a year ago and knocked out power for days.
Despite the fact that Northeast Georgia came out relatively unscathed, there are a few reports of downed trees and power lines in the region. Of course, the worst of the damage remains to the south and although the worst of the storm is over, dangers still exist.
Here are some valuable safety tips offered by Georgia Power to help you stay safe after this (and any) storm:
- Watch for downed wires. Downed power lines may be hidden by debris or fallen trees.
- Never touch any downed wire or attempt to remove tree branches from power lines – it can kill.
- Don’t step in standing water or saturated ground where downed lines may be present. They could be electrified.
- Avoid chain link fences. They may be electrified by a downed line out of sight and conduct electricity over great distances.
- Watch for Georgia Power crews working across the state. If driving, move over one lane for utility vehicles stopped on the side of the road – it’s the law in Georgia.
- Protect electronics and appliances. Disconnect or turn off any appliances that will start automatically when power returns to avoid overloading circuits when power is restored.
