Maui Electric Urges Public to be Prepared as Storms Approach

Maui Electric Company. Photo by Wendy Osher.

As Maui Electric employees prepare for potential impacts from approaching Hurricanes Madeline and Lester, Maui Electric wants to remind customers that electricity can be dangerous and electrical safety should never be taken for granted, especially during an emergency situation.

“Keeping our employees and our community safe is our top priority as we prepare for and respond to storms,” said Maui Electric President Sharon Suzuki. “We encourage everyone to complete their emergency preparations. If the electrical system is impacted on Maui, Moloka‘i or Lana‘i, our Maui Electric crews are ready to respond. Our incident management team is assembling and response crews are currently gearing up and preparing equipment and supplies.”

Maui Electric reminds everyone of these important electrical safety measures before, during, and after a disaster or power outage:
• Before a storm hits or if there is a power outage, unplug all unnecessary electric equipment and appliances until the storm has passed or until power is restored.
• Stay away from downed power lines. Assume they are energized and dangerous. If you see someone injured after touching a downed power line, call 9-1-1 for help.
• Should you need to evacuate, take emergency supplies and remember to shut off electricity at the main breaker or switch.
• Make plans in advance to go to a safe location where electricity will be available if someone in your home depends on an electrically powered life support system and you don’t have a backup generator. Some shelters are designed for people with health needs—just remember to take your own medical equipment and medications.
• When using a portable generator, carefully read and follow instructions in the manufacturer’s manual. Do not plug the generator into your household electrical outlets.
• If you have a rooftop photovoltaic system, consult with your licensed solar contractor regarding normal and emergency operation procedures for your solar system. As a safety precaution, most photovoltaic systems are designed to safely shut down during outages. PV systems typically have monitoring systems which allow owners to check on the status of their system.

Maui Electric’s free “Information Handbook for Emergency Preparedness” – available in five languages – includes these tips and more. It can be downloaded at www.mauielectric.com/prepare. The handbook includes key numbers to have on hand, checklists for emergency supplies, power outage preparedness and recovery information, and household and food safety tips.

To report a power outage, call the Maui Electric Trouble Line at (808) 871-7777 or toll-free at 1-877-871-8461, or 911 if it’s an emergency. The public can also sign up for outage notifications and restoration updates at www.mauielectric.com or follow Maui Electric on Twitter @mauielectric. Due to uncontrolled forces of nature, such as hurricanes, power outages may occur and with safety of our crews and the public as our top priority – as soon as conditions are safe to do so – crews are sent out to assess and begin repairs to restore power as quickly as possible. See these restoration steps at https://www.mauielectric.com/safety-and-outages/storm-center.