PP&L, Inc. is preparing for Hurricane Floyd as it moves up the East Coast today (9/15). The company expects to be ready for any power outages or equipment damage the storm may cause in the company's 29-county service area of eastern and central Pennsylvania.

"Our storm emergency personnel continue to monitor the hurricane closely. We have developed staffing plans and conducted an assessment of available equipment and material," explained Robert M. Geneczko, vice president for Power Delivery at PP&L.

"We will be as ready as we can be," he added.

As a precaution, PP&L has contacted other electric companies and contractors about the possibility of providing additional crews to help repair storm damage, should they be needed.

PP&L may receive requests for help from other electric companies expected to feel the brunt of the storm. Before answering those requests, Geneczko said, PP&L will evaluate conditions at home and make sure that it is able to meet its customers' needs.

While eastern and central Pennsylvania is not likely to experience hurricane-force winds, gusts could be strong enough to bring tree limbs down onto power lines. Any customer who sees a wire on the ground, stay away, even if the wire does not appear to be "live."

PP&L customers should call the company toll-free at 1-800-342-5775 (1-800 DIAL PPL) to report a power outage. The company will have additional employees on hand at its customer service center when the storm arrives to help answer customer power outage reports. PP&L relies on customer calls to pinpoint the cause of outages and repair the damage as quickly as possible.

For wires on the ground, customers should call PP&L's toll-free number or their local emergency phone number.

Customers can prepare for storm-related power outages by doing the following:

-- Have flashlights available, and a supply of fresh batteries to power them. If you plan to use candles for light, be careful about the fire hazard and make sure you also have matches or a lighter.

-- Keep a supply of bottled water and nonperishable food.

-- Have a battery-powered radio in working order; it is your best source for information if the power goes out.

-- Consider places you could go -- a hotel, a relative's home or a friend's home -- in the event of an extended power outage. This is particularly important for customers with health concerns or other special needs.

If flooding occurs, customers should turn off the power supply to their home by turning off their main circuit breaker.