Within the past two decades, a multitude of storms and other weather phenomena have affected the Georgia area. Among these include hurricanes, floods, ice storms and a plethora of other harmful disasters.
In this time period, many Georgia residents lost power, with the recent Winter Storm Enzo causing almost 50,000 outages alone as reported by Vanessa Countryman of the Savannah Morning News. However large as that number may be, it pales in comparison to previous winter storms, such as Winter Storm Pax in 2014 which resulted in over 200,000 outages statewide. Some University of North Georgia students having experienced the issue first-hand.
“The longest I’ve experienced no power was roughly a week.” – Mayly Lao, undergraduate in the BFA Digital Arts Program
Lao’s family lost power in her Oakwood home on multiple occasions during Winter Storm Pax. The storm rolled through and knocked out not only her power, but also the hot water, internet and many other daily commodities her family relied upon.
Other students such as John P. Thomas IV, a student from Habersham County, had better experiences with storms due to proper preparation. Despite having generators that maintained power in his house throughout the storms, he share that it becomes quite expensive due to the fuel consumption required.
With severe conditions continuing from years past, Georgia Power has been working non-stop to restore power back to their customers.
“As our state continues to grow, we’re investing in this system to help keep reliability high for every Georgian year-round.” – Fran Forehand, Senior Vice President of Transmission for Georgia Power
Last year, Georgia Power stated that they had begun to utilize “smart technology” in order to improve the overall power grid. The company promoted a “self-healing” system through the usage of remote-controlled devices that can reroute and segment power lines for a quicker response time in emergencies.
Gwinnett Fire Academy Recruit Jalen Smith shared his knowledge of what everyone can do to keep ahead of severe weather, saying that backup canned food, toiletries and a generator are ideal to have. Checking local jurisdictions for harsh weather travel and keeping a radio on hand is optimal for preventing any accidents from occurring.
To find important tips to remember in case of severe conditions forming in the future, check out the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency website.