(JEFFERSON, GA. March 19, 2018) Jackson EMC is closely monitoring the weather and its potential impact on Northeast Georgia and is ready to respond. Current forecasts indicate Northeast Georgia could experience strong winds, hail and possibly tornadoes beginning Monday afternoon into Tuesday.

Jackson EMC linemen and other support personnel stand ready to respond to our members when needed, in the event of power outages.

To prepare for hazards present during and after the storm, consider the following electrical safety tips:

• Beware of fallen power lines. If you come upon a fallen power line, assume that it is electrically charged. This includes cable TV feeds and telephone lines. Report any downed line to your power company. Report an outage to Jackson EMC at 1-800-245-4044 or by visiting outage.jacksonemc.com.
• Leave it to the professionals. If you feel your house has been damaged, have a licensed electrician check your home.
• Charge your equipment. To ensure you are receiving communication from news sources, charge cell phones and tablets. Be sure to have a flashlight ready in case of a power outage. 
• Prepare for medical needs, such as having a plan for loved ones who depend on medical equipment that requires electricity. This includes backup power, extra medical supplies and medication, or going to an alternative location until the storm is over. 
• A final helpful hint. In the event of a power outage, check your breaker panels before calling your power company. Check both the main breaker on the inside panel and outside disconnect (usually only found on newer homes) located close to your electric meter. If the breaker is tripped, it will be stopped halfway between "off" and "on." Turn the breaker off first and then back on to reset it. If you still have power in part of your home, check the individual breakers in the panel.

For more information on storm preparation, or outages, check the following resources:

• Report Outages. Jackson EMC members should report outages at 1-800-245-4044 or by visiting outage.jacksonemc.com.
• Storm Center. Outage updates are available at: news.jacksonemc.com/outages.
• Outage Map. Available in the Storm Center, the Outage Map provides real-time information on outages. www.jacksonemc.com/storm
• @JacksonEMC on Twitter – Follow @JacksonEMC on Twitter for storm tips and outage updates, Or like us on Facebook JacksonEMC.