SLEMCO POWESEPTEMBERR/OCTOBER 2018 GETTING READY FOR PEAK HURRICANE SEASON & THE DAMAGE IT CAN BRING PAGE 4 ADVICE FOR HURRICANE NEWBIES PAGE 3 BEAUTIFUL, FUNCTIONAL KITCHEN PAGE 6 GENERATOR SAFETY PAGE 8 SLEMCO POWER NOTIFY SLEMCO Volume 66 No. 5 September/October 2018 WHEN WORKING NEAR HIGH VOLTAGE LINES The Official Publication of the Southwest Louisiana Electric Membership Corporation o promote worker and public work within 10 feet of any high voltage safety, the Louisiana legislature overhead electric utility line, the person 3420 NE Evangeline Thruway P.O. Box 90866 T has adopted rules for those responsible for the work must notify the Lafayette, Louisiana 70509 who work near overhead power lines. owner or operator of the high voltage Phone 337-896-5384 (Lucky Account Number 4502339700) overhead electric utility line not less than www.slemco.com Specifically, Louisiana law (LRS 45: 141 48 hours prior to commencing work. BOARD OF DIRECTORS – 146) prohibits unauthorized persons Work shall be performed only after ACADIA PARISH from working—including moving any satisfactory mutual arrangements have Bryan G. Leonards, Sr., equipment—within 10 feet of any high been completed between the owner or Secretary-Treasurer voltage overhead electric utility line. operator of the high voltage overhead Merlin Young If any unauthorized person intends to electric utility line and the person ST. MARTIN PARISH responsible for the work. Jeremy Melancon • Don Resweber LAFAYETTE PARISH Call 896-5384 or Carl Comeaux 896-5551 to notify Johnny Meaux SLEMCO if you intend ST. LANDRY PARISH to work within 10 feet of Gary G. Soileau, Vice President Gary J. Smith one of our high VERMILION PARISH voltage overhead Joseph David Simon, Jr., President electric utility lines. Charles Sonnier ATTORNEY James J. Davidson, III EXECUTIVE STAFF Glenn A. Tamporello Chief Executive Officer and General Manager LUCKY NUMBER Katherine Domingue Chief Financial Officer and Assistant General Manager Jim Laque Director of Engineering and Strategic Planning WINNERS Brandon Meche Director of Operations nly one SLEMCO member called in to claim SLEMCO POWER STAFF their $50 prize after finding their SLEMCO Mary Laurent, CCC, CKAE, MIP O account number hidden inside the July/ WEB UPDATES FOR Editor August issue of SLEMCO Power. Blaine Leger of Iota had an eagle-eye and scooped up his bill credit. WEATHER SLEMCO POWER (USPS 498-720, ISSN The remaining customers who weren’t as 0274-7685) is published bimonthly by Southwest Louisiana Electric Membership Corporation, lucky included Blake Bourgeois of Broussard, EMERGENCIES 3420 NE Evangeline Thruway, Lafayette, LA Ben Bienvenu of St. Martinville, Marie Dugas of uring severe weather, 70509-0866. Periodicals postage paid at Lafayette, LA 70507. Lafayette, Curtis Lagrange of Arnaudville, Everett such as hurricanes, Martin of Melville, Michael Richard Sr. of Lafayette, you can count on POSTMASTER: send address changes to SLEMCO, D P.O. Box 90866, Lafayette, LA 70509-0866. John Sweeney of Church Point, Mandy Kurisko SLEMCO to keep you of Erath and Paulette Fisher of Carencro. (Lucky updated on the status of This institution is an equal opportunity Account Number 4502338000) repairs in your service area. provider and employer. We’ve hidden ten more SLEMCO SLEMCO customers account numbers in this issue. who evacuate will be able Cover Photo by C.C. Lockwood Look now to see if yours is to watch the home page of one of them. If you find your www.slemco.com or follow account number, call Michelle our Facebook page for a Courvelle at 337-896-2504. special Emergency News link. Once she verifies that you’re a Either our website or winner, she’ll credit your SLEMCO facebook page will take you to account for $50. • the latest news on SLEMCO power restoration. • Page 2 | SLEMCO Power Advice for HURRICANE NEWBIES By Mary Laurent NOAA National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS) t’s been a while since we’ve had a hurricane in SLEMCO’s Once the feeders are on, we get down to the nitty-gritty — the service area. (Lucky Account Number 1109042500) Lots of one-by-one, house-to-house work. This type of power restoration I folks have “come of age” since then and now are first-time takes the longest because there may be trees, debris or damage to homeowners, parents or adults, preparing for hurricane season homes that takes longer to untangle, re-wire and reconnect. on their own for the first time. We all love our beautiful trees, but they sure do cause loads The one question we get the most is, “Where do you restore of trouble when they get tangled with power lines. It’s not power first?” The answer is, wherever we can get the most homes uncommon for one tree to take and businesses turned on the fastest. hours of work to get things We always start with transmission lines that bring in power cleared, cut and the power lines from the generating plant. If they aren’t up and running, no one back up and running. gets power. Period. (Lucky Account Number 4502511703) Once Here are a few more tips to keep transmission lines are cleared, we move to substation feeders. things a little more comfortable for Again, if a feeder is out, it does our crews no good to head to you and your family that you may individual houses because there still won’t be power heading your not have thought of if you’re on way if there is no power flowing through the feeders. Once the your own for the first time during a substation feeders are all on, if your power is back on, you’re good hurricane or major storm: to go. If not, unfortunately, it may take a while. Here’s why: Prepare for food, water and If you or a family member If flooding has occurred in Make sure you have a shelter for up to 7 days, just needs oxygen or any other your area, pay attention phone charger that can be 1in case. Yes, that’s a “seven” 2 life-saving equipment, make 3 to newscasts to see if your 4 charged in your vehicle. As not a “one.” Outage time is arrangements ahead of time for a area is under a “boil advisory.” much as you may hate it, Facebook determined by the amount of generator or relocate until power Floodwaters also mean snakes. Be might be how you get information damage done in your area. is restored. vigilant if you are in rural areas for a while, which will help you feel that have experienced flooding. less isolated and more in control of Prepare to be without Expect it to be very difficult what’s going on around you. communication for several to get through to us on our days. Cell service is phone lines. Our phones We will post updates to 6 Most importantly, consider 5 our Facebook page on often non-existent after severe are not off the hook. Our office ALL downed power lines hurricanes. It sometimes comes is fully staffed. We are here and 7 a regular basis. (Lucky and ALL power lines back up fairly quickly, but you working around the clock to get Account Number 4514930200) 8 tangled in trees as energized and never know. Devise a plan for you power back on as quickly and as We encourage you to “like” dangerous. Obey warnings issued and your family to be self-sufficient safely as possible. We have nearly us on Facebook ahead of time by your local authorities. We want for a while. Tip: If you make it an 109,000 members, but nowhere so you can automatically get everyone to recover safely. “adventure,” you and your kids near that many phone lines. You power restoration updates after • will make wonderful memories as can also report your outage via hurricanes. you “rough it” and bond without SmartHub. electronic distractions. SLEMCO Power | Page 3 he LSU AgCenter has experts and resources to T get Louisiana residents ready for the next storm. Are You AgCenter housing specialist Claudette Reichel said hurricane prep projects start with the letter S. “Think shingles, soffits, seals, shutters and surroundings,” Reichel said. Ready? Homeowners looking to replace a roof have hurricane- Expert Tips to Prepare for Hurricane hardy options. But if a replacement isn’t in the plans, Season from LSU AgCenter Reichel said, homeowners can strengthen existing shingles with roofing cement. “Put some dabs under the first course of shingles and along the gable ends where it is most vulnerable,” she said. Roof damage is the biggest homeowners insurance claim following a hurricane. Reichel also recommended securing soffits with polyurethane sealant and stainless steel screws. “Soffits are less likely to get blown around and allow wind-driven rain into your attic and cause major damage,” she said. Inexpensive caulk will seal holes where wires, cables and pipes enter or exit your house. SLEMCO Power | Page 4 CC Lockwood When high winds are Gill recommends hiring a expected, flying debris licensed arborist to evaluate can damage windows. trees and see what work Shutters such as lightweight needs to be done on them. CC Lockwood translucent removable storm (Lucky Account Number panels are a good alternative 1210654500) to heavy plywood boards, He also said to secure enough so they won’t be hit Reichel said. loose objects in your by flood waters,” he said. AgCenter horticulturist landscapes, such as potted AgCenter food safety Dan Gill also stressed plants, hanging baskets, expert Wenqing Xu said now the need to look at your bird feeders, wind chimes, is the time to stock up on surroundings before a storm. children’s play areas and non-perishable food items High on the list is checking patio furniture.