The Duke Energy Foundation is donating 40 storm radios to the Good Samaritan Network of Hamilton County to distribute to underserved residents in preparation for winter weather.
“Severe weather can strike suddenly, and we want our customers to be prepared,” said Mark LaBarr, Government and Community Relations Manager at Duke Energy. “When unforeseen outages occur, emergency storm radios can serve as a lifeline by providing critical alerts, important information and a sense of security. They can also be used as a cell phone charger, enabling residents to stay connected to us via phone/text, social media or our app to report outages.”
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recommends putting storm radios in disaster supply kits to monitor conditions during power outages. The storm radios pick up broadcasts of official National Weather Service warnings and are also equipped with a flashlight and cell phone charger. They can be charged using a traditional wall plug, hand crank or the sun. The radios can be used over and over again and for a variety of types of storms, including winter storms, tornadoes, major thunderstorms, or flooding.
“It can be a frightening experience when the power goes out during a storm,” said Nancy Chance, Founder and Executive Director of the Good Samaritan Network of Hamilton County. “We’re grateful to be able to partner with the Duke Energy Foundation to distribute these storm radios, which will enable vulnerable residents to monitor current information and get in touch with their utility provider to report an outage.”
Customers can report an outage to Duke Energy by texting OUT to 57801, by calling (800) 343-2525, or at duke-energy.com/outages.
For more information about winter weather preparedness, visit duke-energy.com/safety-and-preparedness/storm-safety.