MAYS LANDING, N.J. - Atlantic City Electric - in partnership with the Cape May County Office of Emergency Management and assisted by the American Red Cross and Garden State Animal Resource Team - recently held an Emergency Preparedness Conference in Avalon, N.J., to share important storm preparedness messaging with the public in advance of hurricane season, which runs June 1 through the end of November.

"It's very important that residents have an emergency plan in place before a storm occurs. Now is the time to prepare," said Vince Maione, Atlantic City Electric region president. "Residents should also heed any warnings from their local emergency management officials and assemble an emergency storm kit in the event of an extended power outage."

Maione provided an overview of how Atlantic City Electric prepares for extreme weather events and offered details on the company's restoration process and priorities. He also cautioned that portable home electric generators should be properly installed and operated to ensure safety.

"Generators can energize downed wires, and contact with a downed wire could be fatal if the wire is energized. It's very important for residents to stay away from any downed wires," Maione said.

Martin L. Pagliughi, director, Cape May County Office of Emergency Management, discussed emergency response initiatives including the role of critical support agencies and emergency personnel, evacuation response efforts, emergency shelters and disaster recovery efforts.

"It's very important for residents to discuss and plan their course of action should a major storm event or other emergency impact our region," said Pagliughi. "It's not 'if' a storm will come, it's 'when' and we learned that lesson during Hurricane Sandy. Having a plan in place for yourself, your family, your pets and your property will help when the next storm arrives." Additional information is available at capemaycountyemergency.net.

Tim Settles, regional disaster officer, South Jersey Region, American Red Cross, encouraged residents to assemble an emergency storm "Go Kit" containing items including important documents, medication, bottled water, non-perishable food, flashlight and fresh batteries, emergency phone numbers, a blanket and cash.

"Having a plan can take away some of the stress and anxiety in an emergency situation, especially in the event an evacuation is required," he said. For more information, visit www.redcross.org/prepare/location/home-family/plan.

Dr. Shari Silverman, president of the Garden State Animal Resource Team's (GSART) Executive Board and founder of readypetsgo.com, provided information on GSART initiatives and available resources to help keep you and your pet safe in the event of a significant weather event or other disaster. "Get ready, get your pets, then go," she said. "If you need to evacuate, have a plan in place and be pet prepared." For more information about pet preparedness, visit www.readypetsgo.com.

Atlantic City Electric Emergency preparedness tips for residents:

• Assemble an emergency storm kit.
• Develop and practice an emergency plan with everyone in your household.
• Fill your bathtub with water if your water supply depends on electricity.
• If you or someone you know relies on life-support equipment that requires electricity to operate, identify a location with emergency power capabilities and make plans to go there during a prolonged outage.
• Make sure cell phones are charged.
• Protect and unplug electronic equipment.
• Tune in to local news broadcasts for the latest weather and emergency information.
• Follow the advice of your local emergency management officials.
• If you need to use a portable generator, follow the manufacturer's instructions and use only when necessary. Don't overload it and turn it off at night while you sleep and when you are away from home and never run a generator indoors.

Additional tips are available in Atlantic City Electric's "Storm Preparation Handbook" available for download at atlanticcityelectric.com. Visit atlanticcityelectric.com/mobileapp to download the company's mobile app.

For more information about Atlantic City Electric, visit www.atlanticcityelectric.com. Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/atlanticcityelectric and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/acelecconnect.