GREENSBURG, Pa. – Local electric companies are monitoring the weather as severe storm warnings affect areas across Pennsylvania.

The companies, under FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric Company (FE PA), are known locally as Penn Power, Penelec, Met-Ed, and West Penn Power.

FE PA shared affected areas could see multiple rounds of severe thunderstorms, including damaging wind gusts, tornadoes, heavy rainfall, and localized flash flooding.

These storms may hit customers living in the company’s service territories.

In advance of the expected weather, FE PA said its companies have staged crews throughout their service areas and have additional personnel and support resources on standby to assist if needed.

According to FirstEnergy, forestry personnel, damage assessment teams, and hazard response crews are also positioned and ready to respond.

The companies shared that they have mobilized all available resources to help restore service as safely and quickly as possible should outages occur.

While these preparations allow crews to respond quickly, severe thunderstorms, high winds, and tornadoes can cause significant damage to poles, wires, trees, and other electric equipment, resulting in power outages.

The extent of any outages and restoration times will depend on the severity of the weather and the amount of damage sustained to the electric system, shared FE PA.

The company encourages customers to stay weather-aware, have a plan in place, and put safety first as storms move through the area.

FE PA shared tips on how to stay prepared during severe weather:

Stay at least 30 feet away from downed power lines; call 911 immediately.

Secure loose outdoor items, including garbage cans, furniture, and trampolines.

Charge phones and essential devices.

Keep flashlights, batteries, and a radio ready.

Store water if you rely on a well pump.

Have no-cook foods on hand.

Steer clear of trees and utility poles during high winds.

 

How to report an outage:

If you lose power during the upcoming storm, report your outage:

 

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View outage maps at firstenergycorp.com/outages.