TOLEDO, OH (WTOL) - The approaching severe storms have Toledo Edison on alert, especially for high winds knocking down power lines. Emergency leaders are also getting ready, saying you should be charging your electronics now in case the power goes out.
If it seems like a long time since the area has seen severe weather, that's exactly right. Wood County Emergency Management Agency director Brad Gilbert said after several years of severe weather, the last two have been relatively quiet.
"In fact, last year across Northern Ohio there was only one tornado touch down. It was one of the smaller severe weather seasons in recent history. So yeah, it's time to gear back up and remember that these threats do happen in Northern Ohio," Gilbert said.
Gilbert said after the deadly 2010 tornado in Millbury and Lake Township, people got on board with storm preparedness - buying weather radios and paying close attention to forecasts.
But he believes attention like that fell off after a period absent of big weather events.
"Our concern is always that people don't have those weather radios, they're relying on outdoor warning signs and those were never meant to wake people up inside homes."
Toledo Edison is focusing on very high winds that the storms could bring. Company spokesperson Chris Eck said crews could be asked to stay past their shifts. If there's significant damage to power lines and trees, they'll move workers to longer, 12-hour rotations.
The company says customers also have an important role to play.
Eck said, "Please, stay away from any downed lines, particularly if you've had branches that have come down in your yard that have wires tangled up in them. Maybe it's after dark and you can't quite see as well as you'd like to."
If you have any downed power lines, you can call 911 or Toledo Edison at 1-888-LIGHTS.
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