Energex has called on householders to make use of its online storm kit checklist as a starting point towards preparing for the challenging weather events expected in the months ahead.
Executive General Manager Operations at Energy Queensland, Paul Jordon said the checklist was a handy starting point.
“You need to be prepared because a natural disaster is not like a COVID lockdown where you can still duck to the shops for essentials,” Mr Jordon said.
“Extreme weather events can leave you housebound and without power for days, so you need to consider the needs of everyone at your place, including babies and pets,” he said.
Mr Jordon urged people to think about how much drinking water and non-perishable food they would need, as well as prescription medicines.
“A battery-operated radio will allow you to stay in touch when your mobile phone runs out of charge or if telecommunications services are impacted,” he said.
“Fill your gas bottle if you’re going to be using your barbecue, check your fuel supply if you’re using a generator and make sure it’s in good working order.”
Mr Jordon said while some damage to the electricity network was unavoidable in the most severe weather events, Energex and Ergon had reduced the risks with their Vegetation Management Program, which had covered more than 720,000 spans of powerline in a year.
“Falling trees and branches can bring down powerlines, which can be hidden in the debris, so we urge everyone to take care and stay line-aware when they’re cleaning up after a storm,” he said.
“If you see any fallen powerlines, always stay well away, warn others and report this life-threatening hazard to emergency services,” Mr Jordon said.
The one-page checklist can be accessed at this PS News link.
