JUNO BEACH, Fla., Aug. 29, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Now that Erika has dissipated, Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) continues to monitor the weather and has withdrawn requests for additional workers from partner utilities.

"As we have learned throughout the years, the only thing predictable about a storm such as Erika is its unpredictability," said Eric Silagy, president and CEO of FPL. "Just as Governor Scott made the prudent decision to act early and proactively, we, too, have an obligation to our customers to prepare. And while we have now asked our out-of-state partner utilities to stand down, we sincerely appreciate their willingness to step up and lend a hand when needed, just as we do for them in their time of need. We recognize the remnants of Erika could still create rainy and gusty conditions and FPL remains vigilant and prepared to respond to any impacts it could have on our customers."

The erratic nature of this storm serves as a reminder of the importance of good preparation this hurricane season. A decade has passed since a hurricane made landfall in Florida and FPL estimates 40 percent of its customers have not experienced a hurricane.

How we prepare for storm season

• Prior to storm season, we conduct extensive training to prepare our employees to respond safely and as quickly as possible if a storm threatens our service territory.
• We secure agreements for assistance from out-of-state utilities and electrical contracting companies in the event that additional restoration workers are needed. We also order backup supplies and equipment, and plan staging sites throughout our 35-county service territory.
• We work closely with local emergency officials to update lists of facilities that are critical to the community, such as hospitals, police and fire stations, communication facilities, water treatment plants and transportation providers.
• We also prepare and strengthen our infrastructure throughout the year by:
  • Clearing tree limbs and branches from power lines
  • Inspecting poles for strength
  • Upgrading poles from wood to concrete or steel, and
  • Inspecting power lines and equipment with infrared technology to detect issues the naked eye can't see, and making any needed repairs.

What you can do
Safety is always FPL's first priority. We urge you to make it your top priority, too:

• Keep a battery-operated radio on hand with a two-week supply of fresh batteries, along with other essentials.
• Record your FPL account number in a location that will be readily available. By knowing your account number you will be able to quickly access your account online at FPL.com, using your computer or mobile device. Also have our phone number (1-800-4OUTAGE or 1-800-468-8243) handy, in the event that you need to call to obtain information through our automated system.
• If someone in your home is dependent on electric-powered life-sustaining medical equipment, review your family emergency plan for back-up power or make arrangements to relocate when a storm warning is issued.
• If you plan to use a ladder while preparing your home for the storm, note the location of power lines before you begin. Be sure that ladders or scaffolds are far enough away so that you – and the ends of the tools you're using – stay at least 10 feet away from power lines. Before lowering a TV antenna or satellite dish, make sure to turn off and unplug the TV.
• Adjust refrigerators and freezers to their coldest settings ahead of a storm to keep food fresher longer in the event of a power outage.

How to stay informed
FPL communicates restoration information to customers frequently through the news media and the following mobile-friendly resources:

• FPL website: FPL.com
• Twitter: twitter.com/insideFPL
• Facebook: facebook.com/FPLconnect
• FPL blog: FPLblog.com  
• FPL Power Tracker: FPL.com/powertracker

Customers also can sign up for pre- and post-storm email updates at FPL.com/storm.

Florida Power & Light Company
Florida Power & Light Company is the third-largest electric utility in the United States, serving approximately 4.8 million customer accounts across nearly half of the state of Florida. FPL's typical 1,000-kWh residential customer bill is approximately 30 percent lower than the latest national average and, in 2014, was the lowest in Florida among 55 reporting utilities for the fifth year in a row. FPL's service reliability is better than 99.98 percent, and its highly fuel-efficient power plant fleet is one of the cleanest among all utilities nationwide. The company was recognized in 2015 as one of the most trusted U.S. electric utilities by Market Strategies International. A leading Florida employer with approximately 8,700 employees, FPL is a subsidiary of Juno Beach, Fla.-based NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE), a clean energy company widely recognized for its efforts in sustainability, ethics and diversity, including being ranked in the top 10 worldwide for innovativeness and community responsibility as part of Fortune's 2015 list of "World's Most Admired Companies." NextEra Energy is also the parent company of NextEra Energy Resources, LLC, which, together with its affiliated entities, is the world's largest generator of renewable energy from the wind and sun. For more information, visit these websites: www.NextEraEnergy.com, www.FPL.com, www.NextEraEnergyResources.com.

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SOURCE Florida Power & Light Company