Severe Weather Season is Here

In early April, a historic tornado touched down near Greenwood, tearing a path of destruction nearly 15 miles long through Sussex County. The tornado killed one man, destroyed or damaged dozens of homes, and is tied as the strongest tornado to strike the First State. The storm knocked out power to more than 8,000 members. While most members had power restored the night the tornado hit, the damage was so severe that some members were in the dark for more than 12 hours. 

Severe weather season is here, and while most storms won’t produce deadly tornados, many produce damaging winds that can lead to outages. DEC is asking members to be ready for outages by preparing an emergency kit. Your kit should include coolers to preserve food, water — one gallon per person, per day, non-perishable food, flashlights, a battery-powered or hand-crank radio, a first aid kit, medications (7-day supply), a multi-purpose tool, sanitation and personal hygiene items, cell phone chargers and family and emergency contacts. And don’t forget about your pets! Be sure to have enough food and water for your furry friends for at least a few days.