Duke Energy supports hurricane preparation efforts with $100,000 grant to Florida Red Cross

From Duke Energy:


Duke Energy supports hurricane preparation efforts with $100,000 grant to Florida Red Cross

August 18, 2015

ST. PETERSBURG, FLA. -
The American Red Cross “Prepare Florida” campaign has received a $100,000 grant from Duke Energy to support hurricane preparedness and other emergency services the nonprofit provides.

Ten years after Hurricane Katrina, hurricane preparation malaise may have settled into Florida, which has been free from major storm activity for nine years. Duke Energy surveyed its customers earlier this summer, and the results confirm that preparing for hurricane season is not a focus or priority. Seven out of 10 customers don’t have hurricane supplies or haven’t assembled a preparation kit in at least two years.

“The results of the survey should serve as a wake-up call to us all,” said Alex Glenn, Duke Energy state president - Florida. “We are excited to help the Red Cross ensure more Floridians are prepared for hurricanes and other disasters. Partnering with the Red Cross is a natural fit for us. We both work to get things back to normal following major storms. Collaborating on hurricane awareness and preparation will help save lives.”

The partnership between Duke Energy and the Red Cross will help the local Red Cross chapters in Pinellas, Pasco, Hernando, Citrus, Sumter, Lake and Polk counties to provide emergency services such as hurricane and fire relief and health and safety services for victims.

“The Duke Energy donation is important for the area, especially during hurricane season,” said Linda Jorge Carbone, chief executive officer for the Central Florida Region of the Red Cross. “The funding will help make sure the Red Cross is prepared to meet our communities’ needs in the event of a hurricane or other storm, such as the recent flooding we’ve seen in Pasco County. In addition, it will help us ensure Floridians are prepared for hurricanes, fire and other disasters.”

Recognized as an industry leader in storm preparedness and restoration, Duke Energy maintains its own plan and is ready to respond to hurricanes and other emergencies. To help its customers also be prepared, the company conducts outreach around hurricane season as well as provides safety tips, checklists and other important resources at www.duke-energy.com/storm.

Duke Energy Florida
Duke Energy Florida owns coal-fired and natural gas generation providing about 9,000 megawatts of owned electric capacity to approximately 1.7 million customers in a 13,000-square-mile service area.

With its Florida regional headquarters located in St. Petersburg, Fla., Duke Energy is the largest electric power holding company in the United States. Its regulated utility operations serve approximately 7.3 million electric customers located in six states in the Southeast and Midwest. Its commercial power and international energy business segments own and operate diverse power generation assets in North America and Latin America, including a growing portfolio of renewable energy assets in the United States.

Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Duke Energy is a Fortune 250 company traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol DUK. More information about the company is available at duke-energy.com.