NASHVILLE, Tenn. – As part of National Preparedness Month, Nashville Electric Service (NES) is urging customers to take an important step to strengthen community resilience by making sure neighbors, friends, and relatives who depend on electrically operated medical equipment know about the NES Critical Referral Program.
The Critical Referral Program is designed for customers who use electrically powered, life-sustaining medical devices at home. Those enrolled in the program are included in additional critical communications and emergency planning during an outage. Customers in the program receive priority status during individual outages; however, during a widespread outage, system repairs must be completed before individual outages can be addressed. Severe storms can cause significant damage that could take days to repair, so it is important to have a backup plan in place for extended outages.
“Reliability and resiliency involve more than just keeping the lights on,” says Teresa Broyles-Aplin, President & CEO explains “It also means taking steps to ensure that those who are most vulnerable are supported when emergencies take place.” She adds that National Preparedness Month is an opportunity to remind our community that preparation should begin today.
Preparedness Starts Before an Outage
NES advises that all customers develop and review a personal emergency plan. Customers that rely on life-sustaining medical equipment that require backup power should seek support from caregivers or family members and make alternative arrangements if a prolonged power outage occurs. That’s why the Critical Referral Program is another tool that can help customers prepare better before an emergency.
We Need the Community’s Help
Many eligible customers may not be aware that this resource is available. NES is asking the community to take an active role in finding a solution.
If you know someone with any of the following circumstances, please take a moment to tell them about the Critical Referral Program:
- Uses a life-sustaining medical device at home,
- Relies on electrically powered medical equipment or
- Acts as a caregiver for someone with medical needs
A simple conversation can help someone find this useful preparedness resource.
Signing Up Is Easy
Enrolling in the Critical Referral Program is straightforward:
To Apply:
- Submit the Critical Referral Form, which can be found at NESPower.com/critical-
referral-program - Have your physician submit the Critical Referral Verification Letter using the directions in the letter.
- Our Customer Care Team will contact you regarding the status of your application once we have received all of your information.
NOTE: Your physician must resubmit the verification letter every two years.
Multiple Ways to Learn More
NES offers several convenient ways for customers and caregivers to learn more and begin the enrollment process:
Online
- Visit: NESPower.com/critical-
referral-program
Phone
- Customer Relations: 615-736-6900
In Person
- Nashville Electric Service Customer Lobby: 1214 Church Street Nashville, TN 37246
