VECTOR LIMITED MetService has issued a Severe Weather Watch which is forecasting west to southwesterly winds that may approach severe gale in exposed places.
Vector's Head of Networks Field Services, Marko Simunac, says the public should be aware of the potential hazards strong winds can create throughout the region.
'The risk of trees coming into contact with power lines and cars colliding with power poles in the wet, increases during these wild weather events.
'People should put garden furniture and trampolines away, as well as any loose material around the garden such as tarpaulins, as these all have the potential to be hazardous during strong winds.'
'Vector has taken steps to ensure crew availability by cancelling or postponing all non-essential lines work and has plans in place to respond to any impact quickly, once weather conditions are safe to do so.'
'During a power outage, please remember that the safety of the public and Vector's field staff is of primary importance at all times.
'And most importantly, please, always treat downed lines as live at all times, stay well clear and report them to us on 0508 VECTOR (0508 832 867).'
Mr Simunac said anyone whose power goes out should check your address on Vector's Outage Centre at vector.co.nz/outages.
'Checking your address on our Outage Centre means if we already know of an outage affecting your then you can sign up for notifications. If not, you can report it to us online so we can investigate.'
ENDS
During a storm, people are advised to:
- stay well clear of fallen power lines or damaged electrical equipment and treat them as live at all times
- watch out for falling tree branches as these can cause damage to power lines
- avoid possible damage to electrical appliances (in the unlikely event there is a power surge when the power is restored) by switching off appliances at the wall
- keep a torch and spare batteries handy and ensure that you have at least one telephone that does not rely on electricity for operation
- ensure that an alternate fuel supply is always available for cooking (e.g. gas for BBQ)
Reporting outages to Vector:
- The fastest and easiest way for people to keep updated is to go online at Vector.co.nz/outages.
- If you are without internet access, customers can also call 0508 VECTOR.
Our crews typically restore power in the following order (this order enables us to restore power to as many people as we can, as quickly as we can):
- network feeders and substations which supply power to large groups of homes or buildings.
- critical infrastructure and buildings like hospitals, water and sewage plants, and airports.
- large commercial buildings and industrial plants
- residential and individual homes
- streetlights and hot water pilot lines.
People using medical equipment that relies on electricity should check their retailer is aware of this. If there is an immediate health threat, they are advised to contact their health provider or call 111.
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Vector Limited published this content on 22 October 2019 and is solely responsible for the information contained therein. Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 22 October 2019 04:39:02 UTC
