Energy crews prepare for impact of Tropical Storm Chantal
RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- As Tropical Storm Chantal makes its way toward North Carolina, Duke Energy crews are preparing for all possibilities.
"You're going to see some scattered outages. You may see some heavier pockets. You're probably not going to see, most likely, the widespread outages we see with, you know, something like Helene or a bigger storm, but that doesn't mean you don't take it seriously," said Jeff Brooks with Duke Energy.
Duke Energy said even if you're not in the direct path, which might be closer to the coast, they're also watching in central North Carolina, just in case.
The high winds combined with rain can lead to downed lines.
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"You are going to have some heavy rain. So that could bring down some trees here. And there, if it brings down a power line, you always need to assume that power one has electricity on it, stay away from it, keep your pets and your family away from it, and give us a cal,l and we'll get out there and repair it," Brooks said.
Duke Energy said its crews are ready to respond, and said it's important to stay off the roads if possible to be safe.
"And so if you're out driving, please use extreme caution if you see a utility crew working along the side of the road, move over, slow down, and give them the space to do their work safely. Safety is our first priority, and we want to get our crews home at the end of the day, even though they're out helping you during some tough conditions," he said.
Some tips to prepare ahead of the storm:
- Prepare an emergency kit
- Stay away from windows and doors, seek shelter in interior rooms
- Disconnect nonessential electrical equipment to avoid overload when power comes back on
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