The price we pay for living in paradise is losing power during hurricane season. Florida Power and Light is working to keep the lights on as we prepare for the upcoming season.

As we prepare for the start of hurricane season, one of the biggest concerns for residents is power outages. Last year, millions of Floridians lost power and Florida Power and Light Spokesperson Jack Eble says the groundwork has been laid to keep the juice flowing.

Eble also says FPL uses smart grid technology that communicates with the power grid to immediately identify issues and outages to restore power more quickly.

He says many powerlines are now underground, and above ground, wooden poles have been replaced with concrete.

In fact, he says 100-percent of the transmission lines are steel or concrete.

The Atlantic Hurricane season starts on June first.

To prepare for a hurricane, follow these steps:

Stock up on non-perishable food, bottled water, medications, flashlights, batteries, and a first-aid kit.

Don’t forget phone chargers, power banks, and important documents in a waterproof container – including insurance policies, health cards, birth certificates, Social Security cards, a list of important phone numbers, and medications, and a copy of your FPL bill.

Create an emergency plan with your family and determine if your home or business is in a flood and/or evacuation zone.

Prioritize safety and have an emergency plan. It’s projected to be an above-average hurricane season, so get prepared.

Sarykarmen Rivera