4 County Electric explains how they prepare for severe weather

GOLDEN TRIANGLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Even with the best infrastructure, high winds and other severe weather conditions can cause power outages.

And when they do, utilities like 4 County are prepared to get the lights back on.

When your power goes out, you can be certain 4 County is coming out.

“We’re coming to help,” said Clark

Power providers always have their eyes on the weather. And they begin gearing up days before the storms are expected to hit their areas.

4 County CEO Brian Clark says when his crew hears about severe weather they are ready for whatever is blown their way.

“We make sure we have plenty of fuel, plenty of materials, our trucks are ready, we put the employees on stand by. We’re always ready for this ironically enough, we run like a fine-tuned oiled machine during a storm. our employees thrive on it,” said Clark.

But even with all that preparation, Clark says they can’t be everywhere at once.

“in terms of time frame to restore power every storm is different. Whether it’s an ice storm, snowstorm, wind storm, tornado, every storm is different. it just depends on the scope and how widespread the storm is. Our name is 4 County but we are actually part of 9 counties. so it just takes a little time depending on the storms,” said Clark.

Clark says if you see a power line that’s down, it’s best to be safe, and assume that it’s live…and dangerous. Call 9-1-1, and then call your provider.

“We expect if the wind is that strong for trees to be down which in terms cause our poles to break and lines to be down. when that happens we’re going to assess the system and get crews out there to restore power. We’re coming but we have to do it safely. I encourage anybody if they see down power lines don’t assume that it’s a telephone line or fiber. Stay away from it,” said Clark.

Clark also has advice for people who rely on at-home medical equipment, like oxygen.

“We have some people that have in-home medical equipment and I would encourage them to always have backup power and always have a generator. We can’t guarantee power all the time. So if you have a medical emergency I encourage you to get a generator,” said Clark.

During this time of the year, it is always important that you stay safe and updated.

The 4 county crew says that are always happy to help their customers and you can stay updated with their progress on their website, Facebook page, or give their office a call.