ELECTRICITY distributor Powercor and the Victoria State Emergency Service (VICSES) are once again urging Victorians to act now, prepare and plan ahead for a warmer and windier spring season.

Victoria’s weather and emergency management agencies are predicting Victorians can expect warmer and drier than average conditions, as well as storms, strong winds and lightning that can lead to property damage and power outages.

Spring is traditionally Victoria’s most high-risk storm season, bringing with it unstable weather patterns.

Last year, major flooding impacted large parts of the state during October and November, causing extensive damage and leaving thousands of homes and businesses without electricity.

In 2021, major storms hit the state, again causing widespread destruction to properties and the electricity network.

This season, emergency services remain well prepared for emerging risks associated with the potential for another high impact season, with the risk of flash flooding and other severe weather-related events and will continue to monitor conditions.

Powercor and VICSES volunteers often work closely together when responding to and preparing for major weather events affecting communities.

Last year, VICSES volunteers played a vital role in helping protect critical power infrastructure in flood-affected areas.

VICSES operations chief officer, Tim Wiebusch, urged residents to be storm ready (in addition to fire potential).

“While the climate outlook indicates an average season for storm and flood, it’s important communities remain vigilant and prepare for all emergencies,” he said.

“We know that spring can often see East Coast Lows develop and thunderstorms throughout the summer months that can bring isolated heavy rainfall and damaging winds.”

“Don’t wait for the emergency to have a plan. It is vital to know your risk and to have a robust plan in place for storms, flash flooding, along with potential bushfires.”

The work of the SES volunteers when removing large trees from roads and other infrastructure allows Powercor crews to safely access areas and restore power to customers as quickly as possible.

Powercor customer experience head, Adam Nason, encouraged householders and business owners to include preparing for power outages as part of their emergency plan.

“Many Victorians have experienced firsthand spring’s unpredictable weather and the damage it can cause to the power network,” he said.

“We work all year round to make sure the electricity network is as strong as possible ahead of extreme weather events, but power outages can still happen so being prepared ahead of a storm is essential.”

Powercor announced an expansion of its fleet of emergency response vehicles and will be trialling a new system for customers to streamline fault reporting - customers will be invited to safely upload an image of the fault to their customer service team via SMS.

“When a power fault occurs, we may now ask customers to send us a photo of the scene through the new reporting site if it’s safe to do so,” Mr Nason said.

“By providing this snapshot of the scene, we can assess the resources we need to repair any damage and get power back on to customers faster.”

This month, Powercor will also introduce its second emergency response vehicle, designed to support communities during extreme weather events.

The vehicle is equipped with power banks for charging phones and other devices, a large screen to display news coverage, weather updates and network information, and a retractable awning to protect from wind and rain.

“When a major event happens, we can deploy these vehicles to where they are needed most and provide a central hub for the community to seek important and timely information about their power,” Mr Nason said.

Powercor tips

• Have a back-up plan ready if you rely on life support equipment or need electrical items to care for babies, people with a disability, elderly or pets.

• Plan to keep food safe. Set your fridge to five degrees Celsius or below. An unopened fridge will keep food for about four hours. A full freezer will keep the temperature for approximately 48 hours (24 hours if it is half full) if the door remains closed.

• Have plenty of water available if your supply relies on power.

• Sign up for SMS notifications about power supplies and choose your preferences for who you want to receive them at Powercor.com.au/notify

• Download the VicEmergency app and keep emergency phone numbers handy.

• Know how to connect computers and tablets to your mobile phone’s hotspot.

• Back-up computer files regularly.

• Know how to open electric garage doors and gates manually.

• Charge mobile phones, laptops, and portable back-up batteries.

• Check if your rooftop solar system is able to operate in a power outage.

• If you plan to use a diesel generator, make sure it’s fully fuelled, operational, and that you know how to safely operate it.

• Have a battery-powered radio available for real time news updates.

• Keep battery-powered lamps or torches handy.