SUMMERDALE, Ala. — Hurricane season opened on Monday, but tell that to the storms. There has been some activity in the Atlantic with a tropical depression forming off the coast of the Carolinas in late May.

Despite the early start, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts a “normal” hurricane season this year.

According to the NOAA Web site, this means, “Forecasters say there is a 70 percent chance of having nine to 14 named storms, of which four to seven could become hurricanes, including one to three major hurricanes (Category 3, 4 or 5).”

Of course, nobody knows exactly where those storms might hit. So, it pays to be prepared.

“We hope for the best, but prepare for the worst,” said Tom Page, a vice president of Baldwin EMC last week. Page says the utility, which saw much of its infrastructure blown to bits when Hurricane Ivan blew through the area September of 2004. He says the utility is ready for the next “big one.”

“Every meter stopped turning,” said Page, describing Ivan’s effect on the area. With the help of outside crews and contractors, Page said that Baldwin EMC had power restored to customers, “In eight days.”

While “hurricane season” began June 1, Baldwin EMC began putting together a “disaster plan” in January, said Karen Moore, also a Baldwin EMC vice president.

One of the newest things Baldwin EMC has instituted to keep subscribers informed is a “Twitter” channel, Moore said. The computer service allows short text messages of up to 140 characters to be sent to subscribers’ cell phone or computers. The service will keep subscribers informed of the system’s status and how restoration is going. The service can be accessed by going to twitter.com/BEMCRestoration.

The utility company will keep traditional media informed as well, added Moore, but the Twitter channel is a way to get information right to subscribers.

“We do hope that it will be helpful to those that have to evacuate the area,” said Moore.

One of the most frustrating things for people returning from a storm evacuation is finding they have no power. That means so cold drinks, no refrigeration for medicines, no air conditioning and no power tools.

Page counseled patience.

“There is an order of restoration and operation,” said Page, adding that places that serve public health and safety, such as hospitals and police stations are slated to be helped first.

“We have 68,000 meters,” said Page. “We will get the lights on as quickly as possible and safely.”

To accomplish that job, Baldwin EMC needs to expand rapidly.

“We go rfom 200 (people) to 1,200 in two days,” said Page.

“We can’t handle that on our own,” said Page. To handle the work, Baldwin EMC gets help from other electrical cooperatives and has a cadre of contractors on call should a storm or other disaster hit.

That means the the utility company has to make sure that there is a place to sleep, food to eat, and all the other things needed to support a large crew for a week or so. The Summerdale office has a kitchen and can be transformed into a disaster center with jut a few hours notice.

The watching and worrying begins when the storm is three days out.

“We are watching the weather,” said Page, adding that the electric company subscribes to a private weather service.

“We begin looking when the storm in in the Caribbean,” Page said. “We start to secure our facilities, and allow employees time to secure their home and families. When the storm hits, we expect them all to be working.”

And getting those lights back on.