DCPSC hosts Winter Ready DC Forum

DCPSC Hosts Winter Ready DC Forum and Kicks Off Campaign


The Public Service Commission of the District of Columbia (Commission) kicked off the Winter Ready DC Campaign for the winter season to raise awareness about winter preparedness in the District of Columbia.  The campaign began with a forum for the community to help District residents prepare for winter and winter–related events.
 
The Winter Ready DC Forum facilitated panels discussing how utilities are preparing for winter, what resources are available for District consumers, and the District Government strategy for emergency preparedness.  Representatives from Pepco, Washington Gas, Verizon and DC Water were on-hand as well as various District Government agencies including Department of Energy and Environment, Department of Human Services, Serve DC, and Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency. 
 
“Winter Ready DC is a part of the Commission’s year round efforts to hold utilities to tougher reliability standards, reduce outages, and improve responsiveness and restoration times, stated Commission Chairman, Betty Ann Kane.  “The first steps in becoming Winter Ready is to be armed with information. Know what resources are available, know what your community plan is, and make your home a place that can weather the storm.”
 
Commissioner Joanne Doddy Fort added that “Affordability is always a factor for consumers and its importance is heightened during periods of extreme weather.  Winter Ready DC will provide information on discount programs for income eligible District consumers.”   
 
Commissioner Willie L. Phillips emphasized that “Each resident must play a role in preparing for the weather.  There are many things each of us can do to minimize the effects of cold weather on our homes and on our budget.   Winter Ready DC brought together the utilities, community leaders, and residents to ensure that the public is aware of resources to assist during winter.”
 
Throughout the winter season, the Winter Ready DC Campaign will be coordinating several public engagement events with community groups and providing winterization tips on the Commission website and social media platforms. Residents can also enter a give-away on the Commission website to receive a Winter Ready DC Winterization Toolkit for their home. 
 
To learn more about the Winter Ready DC Campaign, visit the Commission website at www.dcpsc.org.

SOCIAL MEDIA:

Twitter: @DC_PSC
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DCPSC/
Website: www.dcpsc.org
Hashtag: #WinterReadyDC