As families continue to recover from the derecho storm, we anticipate tropical downpours this week in the Houston area. Logan Anderson, Texas Senior Communications Specialist at CenterPoint Energy, shares top ways to protect your home ahead of severe weather.
“It’s important to prepare our homes for potential flooding and power outages,” Anderson advises. “The first thing anyone should do is prepare a hurricane emergency plan. Make sure you have a designated evacuation spot and essential supplies such as water, food, and medicine. Including items like decks of cards or coloring books can help keep spirits up during an evacuation.”
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Involving children in preparing for hurricanes is also crucial.
“Building a hurricane kit as a family is a great opportunity to teach kids about weather events and past experiences,” says Anderson. “It helps make the situation less scary for them.”
One critical aspect of preparation is the safe use of generators.
Anderson warns, “When a generator is directly connected to a building’s electrical system, it can backfeed and re-electrify the lines, which is dangerous for utility workers and your family. Always run generators outside to avoid these risks.”
For those reliant on medical equipment or continuous power, signing up for CenterPoint’s Critical Customer Care plan is essential.
“This plan notifies you of planned outages, though we can’t guarantee uninterrupted power. It’s crucial to have a backup plan in place,” Anderson emphasizes.
Staying informed about power outages and restoration times is easy with CenterPoint’s alerts.
“Customers can receive updates via call, email, or text, and can even add others to their account to monitor power status on their behalf,” Anderson explains.
For more information and to sign up for alerts, visit CenterPoint Energy’s website.