Tag Archives: Florida

Business, Energy, Environment

FPL Marks Hurricane Andrew Anniversary as a Time to Remember, Learn and Prepare

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“At FPL, hurricane preparation is now part of our daily operations, every day we’re not in a storm we’re preparing for one,” said Keith Hardy, FPL’s vice president of Distribution.

Juno Beach, FL (August 10, 2012) — On Aug. 24, Florida and the nation will observe the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Andrew, one of the most dramatic and devastating natural disasters in modern history. For those who lived through the storm and witnessed its incredible destruction first hand, this month is a time of solemn remembrance. And for everyone across the state of Florida and all along the Eastern seaboard and the Gulf Coast, Andrew’s anniversary is an occasion to learn from the past and to recognize the unpredictable and powerful nature of hurricanes, along with the absolute necessity of good planning and preparation throughout every hurricane season.

When Andrew struck just south of Miami, it made landfall with peak sustained winds of 165 miles per hour, and gusts of up to 175 mph. Now classified as a rare Category 5, the hurricane pushed a massive storm surge up Biscayne Bay, and delivered more than 7 inches of rain along the core of its path. Damages from the storm totaled more than $25 billion dollars throughout the Bahamas, Florida and the Gulf states, with thousands of homes lost and many more damaged.

FPL’s storm preparedness and recovery processes were also significantly challenged by Hurricane Andrew. As crews worked feverishly to restore power after the storm, FPL developed and perfected some of the systems now in place to map storm damage and to estimate restoration times.

“At FPL, hurricane preparation is now part of our daily operations, every day we’re not in a storm we’re preparing for one. On this anniversary, we urge our customers to prioritize disaster planning too,” said Keith Hardy, FPL’s vice president of Distribution. “We are always working to help the communities we serve prepare for the next storm. Every year we make multi-million dollar investments in our infrastructure to make it more resilient.”

In the past two decades, advances in technology have changed every step in the hurricane preparation and recovery process. New forecasting tools allow for more frequent assessments of a storm’s path and intensity, and better computer modeling has improved accuracy, especially on the intensity front. At the same time, technology has altered the way that information is communicated – before, during and after a hurricane. Today, storms can be tracked on-line, on mobile devices, through social media outlets, and of course through traditional media sources.

“In the past twenty years, our ability to respond to hurricanes and to keep our customers informed of our progress has improved dramatically with the advent of advanced technologies, and FPL is working to bring new tools to the forefront every day,” said Hardy.

FPL has harnessed technology to enhance the way that it communicates with customers before and after hurricanes, and the way that it pre-positions restoration crews and models the damage to its system from a storm. To help with preparation, FPL offers customers a wealth of information and tips on its website, http://www.FPL.com. After a hurricane, FPL offers constant updates and information about the power restoration process through its website, which is mobile friendly, and through Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/insideFPL), Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/FPLconnect) and YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/FPL). FPL’s blog (http://www.FPLblog.com) is also an important source of news.

Technology advancements also allow FPL to inform customers about the post-storm restoration process faster. For example, hours after a storm, a preliminary restoration estimate is created through computer modeling based on historical data. It will change as damage reports from the field are complete, but it’s intended to help customers and communities make initial plans. At the same time, technology gives FPL the ability to streamline and shorten the restoration process by providing real-time location of crews and crew movements through a super-GPS technology called Restoration Spatial View.

“But the fact is, while much has changed since Andrew reached our shores,” said Hardy, “one simple truth remains the same: hurricanes carry with them a potentially overwhelming destructive power, and when a major storm hits, power will be interrupted, trees will fall and water will rise. Floridians must understand this fact and make every preparation for it.”

To view photos, please visit: http://www.fpl.com/newsroom

About Florida Power & Light Company
Florida Power & Light Company is the largest electric utility in Florida and one of the largest rate-regulated utilities in the United States. FPL serves 4.5 million customer accounts in Florida and is a leading employer in the state with approximately 10,000 employees. The company consistently outperforms national averages for service reliability while customer bills are below the national average. A clean energy leader, FPL has one of the lowest emissions profiles and one of the leading energy efficiency programs among utilities nationwide. FPL is a subsidiary of Juno Beach, Fla. – based NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE). For more information, visit http://www.FPL.com.

Media Contact:
FPL Media Line
Florida Power & Light Company
700 Universe Blvd.
Juno Beach, FL 33408
305-552-3888
amelia.gomez@rbbpr.com
http://www.fpl.com

Business

Florida and Turkey set to be Next Real Estate Hot Spots – AAA

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Investors looking to buy properties abroad as an investment should consider Florida and Turkey as they are likely to be among the next places to experience a boom and retain value, according to AAA’s Anthony Johnson.

Boston, MA, USA, July 31, 2012 — Investors looking to buy properties abroad as an investment should consider Florida and Turkey as they are likely to be among the next places to experience a boom and retain value, according to Alternative Asset Analysis’ Anthony Johnson.

These two countries will offer good value for money for investors, claims the advocacy group’s analysis partner. He said, “As far as grabbing a bargain in an up-and-coming region goes, investor could do worse than investing in Florida and Turkey real estate.”

AAA claims that a growing number of people are looking to buy up real estate as a form of alternative investment. This follows a period of economic slowdown, when investors lost huge amounts of money on the equity markets and are now looking for something tangible in return for their cash.”

Part of the reason that Turkey and Florida are proving to be real estate hot spots is the fact that investors are steering clear of the Eurozone at the moment. The US real estate market in general is improving and Florida has always been popular with people looking for second homes in the sun.

Alternative investment in general is proving increasingly popular, according to AAA, which supports a wide range of alternative investment options. Investing in real estate can be a great option for those who want to avoid tying money up in the volatile stocks and bonds markets.

Turkey and Florida, being popular tourist destinations, will often see their property process maintaining value when spots in similar destinations are seeing house process fall. “Investing in holiday spots can prove an intelligent choice as people will always want to buy property there,” added My Johnson.

AAA also advocates investing in forestry that is sustainably managed through projects run by firms like Greenwood Management, which operates sustainable plantations in Canada and Brazil.

About Alternative Asset Analysis:
The remit of Alternative Asset Analysis is to analyse and provide news on the global performance of a wide range of alternative asset classes including, but not restricted to, commodities, real estate, forestry, foreign exchange, hedge funds, private equity and venture capital.

Media Contact:
Anthony Johnson
Alternative Asset Analysis
71 Commercial St
Boston, MA 02109-1320
617-939-9596
info@alternativeassetanalysis.com
http://www.alternativeassetanalysis.com

Energy

FPL Provides Energy Makeover to Oldest Animal Welfare Organization in Brevard County

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“Our energy makeover team is helping to make the lowest electric bill in the state even lower by sharing tips from FPL’s energy efficiency programs and implementing easy, low-cost improvements that can save all customers even more money,” said Sandy Sanderson, FPL’s external affairs manager.

Juno Beach, FL (July 21, 2012) — Florida Power & Light Company, with the help of local contractors, provided an energy makeover to the Central Brevard Humane Society (CBHS) in Cocoa today. As part of FPL’s non-profit energy efficiency program, the CBHS received free efficiency upgrades that are expected to save the organization at least $2,200 annually on its electric bill.

FPL energy experts and local contractors installed a new air conditioning unit, conducted air conditioning duct work, and installed energy-efficient lighting to help save energy and money. FPL’s energy experts also provided CBHS with energy-efficiency improvement tips to make it easier for the organization to manage its monthly energy usage.

“As Brevard County’s oldest established animal welfare organization, the CBHS is an important part of our community and providing them with the resources to be more energy-efficient is a great accomplishment,” Cocoa Deputy Mayor Don Boisvert said. “Our partnership with FPL helps give organizations like ours the tools and information they need to save money and continue making a positive impact in the community.”

“Every dollar the CBHS can save on its energy bill is a dollar it can use to provide quality care to Brevard’s abandoned animals,” said Sandy Sanderson, FPL’s external affairs manager. “Our energy makeover team is helping to make the lowest electric bill in the state even lower by sharing tips from FPL’s energy efficiency programs and implementing easy, low-cost improvements that can save all customers even more money.”

Most of these energy efficiency upgrades can be adopted by any business customer looking to make smarter energy choices. Businesses and organizations looking to better manage their energy use and save on their monthly bills can take FPL’s free Business Energy Evaluation.

To see highlights and photos from the CBHS energy makeover visit: http://www.FPL.com/newsroom

About Florida Power & Light Company
Florida Power & Light Company is the largest electric utility in Florida and one of the largest rate-regulated utilities in the United States. FPL serves 4.5 million customer accounts in Florida and is a leading employer in the state with approximately 10,000 employees. The company consistently outperforms national averages for service reliability while customer bills are below the national average. A clean energy leader, FPL has one of the lowest emissions profiles and one of the leading energy efficiency programs among utilities nationwide. FPL is a subsidiary of Juno Beach, Fla. – based NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE). For more information, visit http://www.FPL.com.

Media Contact:
FPL Media Line
Florida Power & Light Company
700 Universe Blvd.
Juno Beach, FL 33408
305-552-3888
amelia.gomez@rbbpr.com
http://www.fpl.com

Business, Environment

FPL Crews Help Restore Service to Mid-Atlantic Region

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More than 300 Florida Power & Light Company workers are helping provide emergency restoration assistance to states severely impacted by violent storms that recently hit the Midwest and mid-Atlantic region.

Juno Beach, FL (July 4, 2012) — More than 300 Florida Power & Light Company workers are helping provide emergency restoration assistance to states severely impacted by violent storms that recently hit the Midwest and mid-Atlantic region. One team traveled from West Palm Beach to Maryland to help Pepco, a Washington D.C. utility, with its restoration efforts.

“Our travel team moved quickly and arrived on site without incident,” said FPL deputy incident commander T.L. Winder. “Once we got settled at the expansive staging site, our crews were given a safety briefing by Pepco and set out to evaluate the damage and start helping with the restoration.”

FPL’s response is part of the mutual assistance network in which utilities around the country provide assistance following major natural disasters. FPL crews and equipment were dispatched to Ohio, Maryland and Virginia, to aid in their restoration efforts after a powerful line of thunderstorms, with gusts between 60 and 90 mph, caused significant destruction that left millions of people without power. Before deploying crews, FPL works to ensure that its customers are taken care of and resources are available should any outages affect our service territory.

For FPL Incident Commander Jim Bush, he’d seen this devastation before when called to help with restoration efforts following Hurricane Rita in Texas. “This is very similar to hurricane-type damage. There’s extensive destruction with lots of trees down among the poles and lines,” he explained. “We’re working on the feeder backbone first, and then focus on getting the power back on in the neighborhoods.”

The FPL crews are working 16-hour days, through the July Fourth holiday, focused on getting the job done. Bush, an Army veteran, says he can’t think of a better way to celebrate the Fourth than helping others in their time of need.

“The customers we talk to are excited to see us out working on restoring the power and are glad there’s literally a light at the end of the tunnel,” said Bush.

The hilly terrain of Maryland is presenting some challenges for the Florida-based crew. “We had one team working on a 50-foot pole on the side of a steep hill that was engulfed in vegetation,” said Winder. “They’re not accustomed to the elevation changes they have here, but the crew succeeded in getting the job done right and doing it safely.”

“When called into action, we’re eager to assist, after all, the situation could have easily been reversed with FPL needing the help after a major storm,” said Bush. “It’s a great team effort and we’re glad we could lend a hand.”

For photos of the restoration effort visit: http://www.fpl.com/newsroom

Media Contact:
FPL Media Line
Florida Power & Light Company
700 Universe Blvd.
Juno Beach, FL 33408
305-552-3888
amelia.gomez@rbbpr.com
http://www.fpl.com

Business

Florida Power & Light Company Partners with Food Distributor Cheney Brothers to support 300 Jobs in Southwest Florida

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Florida Power & Light Company’s special discounted economic development rate will help Cheney Brothers Inc., launch a $100 million distribution center in Charlotte County that will eventually employ about 300 people when it’s fully operational.

Juno Beach, FL (June 28, 2012) — Florida Power & Light Company‘s special discounted economic development rate will help Cheney Brothers Inc., one of the largest food service distributors in the Southeastern United States, launch a $100 million distribution center in Charlotte County that will eventually employ about 300 people when it’s fully operational.

Cheney Brothers is in the process of purchasing 35 acres right off Interstate 75 in Punta Gorda, for the new facility, which will serve customers from Marco Island through the Tampa Bay area.

“We need all the help from all the partners we can get, whether it’s our customer partners or our vendor partners, like Florida Power & Light,” said Bill Foley, President of Cheney Brothers, which is headquartered in Riviera Beach, Fla.

Businesses in FPL’s service territory already benefit from electric bills that are among the very lowest in the state and well below the national average. FPL’s economic development rates provide an additional benefit to new or expanding businesses that expand their electric demand by at least 350 kilowatts and create at least 10 new jobs.

“We’re pleased to play a role in Cheney Brothers’ expansion,” said Lynn Pitts, FPL Director of Economic Development. “FPL’s economic development rate provides an incentive to companies that agree to move to Florida or expand their operations here and create new jobs for Floridians.”

“The discount we get from Florida Power & Light is essential,” Foley said. “Along with fuel, our electric bill is probably our next biggest expense that we have at Cheney Brothers. So that discount helps us out initially and in the long-run also.”

The economic development rate is designed to be an incentive that will encourage new investment and job creation in Florida. Eligible business customers receive a declining discount on their standard base energy and demand charges over four to five years. Visit http://www.PoweringFlorida.com or contact FPL’s Office of Economic Development at PoweringFlorida@FPL.com for details.

Media Contact:
FPL Media Line
Florida Power & Light Company
700 Universe Blvd.
Juno Beach, FL 33408
305-552-3888
amelia.gomez@rbbpr.com
For more on this story, including video and photos, visit: http://www.fpl.com/newsroom

Business

FPL Gives Hope and Help to those in need through FPL Care To Share

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The program has raised more than $15.7 million, and it has provided energy assistance to almost 68,000 Florida families in need.

Juno Beach, FL (June 8, 2012) — Florida Power and Light Company (FPL) developed the FPL Care To Share program in 1994. The program has raised more than $15.7 million, and it has provided energy assistance to almost 68,000 Florida families in need. One hundred percent of contributions raised from FPL customers, shareholders and employees go to help those in need – no contributions are used for fundraising or administrative purposes. More than 1,700 employees of FPL and its parent company, NextEra Energy, Inc. currently donate to the program.

No one should have to choose between food or medicine and electricity. Sadly, there are many elderly, disabled, and other individuals who are simply finding themselves in a financial crisis and facing these choices every day.

That is why Florida Power and Light Company (FPL) developed the FPL Care To Share program in 1994. The program has raised more than $15.7 million, and it has provided energy assistance to almost 68,000 Florida families in need.

FPL customer Ana Cisneros found herself in a financial crisis when the economy was slowing. Her business’ revenue wasn’t enough to pay for all of her bills. Recently divorced, she also needed to rethink how she could provide for her and her daughter and herself on just one income.

Fortunately, there was help. Not knowing what to do, Ana found herself at the Palm Beach County Human Services office in Riviera Beach, Fla. – one of more than 800 governmental, social service and faith-based agencies throughout Florida that administer FPL Care To Share funds.

Kate Cole, case worker at Palm Beach County Human Services said, “People are at their lowest and they feel so ashamed when they come in. And our job is to help them to see that we’re a team: the family or individual, the case worker and FPL.” She adds, “I think it’s important for people to know that the money they donate makes a tremendous impact on this community with people that are working hard and struggling.”

Ana was able to qualify for financial assistance through FPL’s Care To Share program, keep her lights on and her business going. “Now I am able to put one foot in front of the other and have a better tomorrow to look forward to,” she explains. “Sometimes that little bit of help makes a big difference.”

One hundred percent of contributions raised from FPL customers, shareholders and employees go to help those in need – no contributions are used for fundraising or administrative purposes. More than 1,700 employees of FPL and its parent company, NextEra Energy, Inc. currently donate to the program. FPL employee and FPL Care To Share donor Vicki Backus explains, “I know that when I donate to Care To Share, my funds are going to help someone and are being spent wisely.”

Visit http://www.FPL.com/caretoshare to hear Ana’s story, make a contribution and help make a difference. FPL customers can also donate by checking the Care To Share box on their bill.

Media Contact:
FPL Media Line
Florida Power & Light Company
700 Universe Blvd.
Juno Beach, FL 33408
305-552-3888
kristy.kennedy@rbbpr.com
http://www.fpl.com

Business

FPL Hosts First-Ever Storm Meteorologist Event

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This event marked the first time FPL executives, TV meteorologists and government forecasters have met to discuss their shared responsibilities during hurricane season.

Juno Beach, FL (May 26, 2012) — With hurricane season fast approaching, Florida Power & Light Company invited South Florida meteorologists to its new, category 5-resistant command center in Riviera Beach to meet its own meteorologist, Tim Drum, and to learn how weather forecasting drives FPL’s response to storms.

“FPL plays such an integral part in not only the hurricanes, but what we do before and after the hurricanes, that I think this communication and collaboration is fantastic,” said Steve Weagle, chief meteorologist for WPTV, Newschannel 5 in West Palm Beach.

Keith Hardy, FPL’s vice president of Distribution, welcomed the guests. “Weather impacts just about everything we do here at FPL,” he said.

Drum discussed how FPL works closely with its partners from the National Weather Service and National Hurricane Center to develop forecasts before big storms and throughout the year.

“A big part of what Tim does is try to give us a heads up – ‘Hey, this is going to occur in this specific area today at this specific time, therefore we may need to call in additional resources or we may need to travel resources to a particular area,’” Hardy explained.

In advance of a tropical storm or hurricane, FPL’s forecasting allows it to preposition crews appropriately, so they are able to get to work restoring power to impacted customers immediately after a storm passes. Drum also showcased technology, including the Google-based “Restoration Spatial View,” which helps FPL leaders and field crews pinpoint exactly where the outages are located in the company’s expansive network of more than one million poles in 35 Florida counties.

This event marked the first time FPL executives, TV meteorologists and government forecasters have met to discuss their shared responsibilities during hurricane season. Drum praised the meteorologists as “important communicators” and valuable partners to help the company communicate with its 4.6 million customers before, during and after a storm. The invited guests said they found the tour and discussion valuable, too.

“We’re all involved in the same thing, which is communicating information,” said John Matthews, chief meteorologist for WPEC-CBS 12 in West Palm Beach. “And I’m really pleased to see how FPL has really stepped up to the plate on this one.”

About Florida Power & Light Company
Florida Power & Light Company is the largest electric utility in Florida and one of the largest rate-regulated utilities in the United States. FPL serves 4.5 million customer accounts in Florida and is a leading employer in the state with approximately 10,000 employees. The company consistently outperforms national averages for service reliability while customer bills are below the national average. A clean energy leader, FPL has one of the lowest emissions profiles and one of the leading energy efficiency programs among utilities nationwide. FPL is a subsidiary of Juno Beach, Fla. – based NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE). For more information, visit http://www.FPL.com.

Media Contact:
Chris de la Huerta
rbb Public Relations
355 Alhambra Circle, Suite 800
Coral Gables, FL 33134
305-448-7535
christine.delahuerta@rbbpr.com
http://www.rbbpr.com

Business

TCG Receives Prestigious Awards at the Fourth Annual Florida Communities of Excellence Ceremony

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MIAMI – Apr. 12, 2012 – The Continental Group (TCG), a FirstService Residential Management company, received numerous recognitions at the Fourth Annual Florida Communities of Excellence Awards hosted on Friday, March 30, 2012 at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Conference Center in Hollywood, Florida.

 

Sponsored by the Florida Community Association Journal, the awards recognize communities from across the state that are setting the standards in meeting today’s communities’ challenges and for outstanding achievements that benefit residents, enhance property values and contribute to the quality of life in Florida. A panel of independent experts, including representatives of leading state and local government departments and agencies, judged the awards. With 10 award categories, winners were chosen from both smaller communities (fewer than 400 units) as well as larger communities.

 

The 2012 “Managers of Excellence” Award included TCG Community Association Managers, Kathy Jean Pinchuk of Valencia Shores in Lake Worth and Kristoffer Schaeffer of Solaire at the Plaza in Orlando, who were inducted during the Florida Communities of Excellence Conference & Awards Ceremony, which honored a total of seven of the state’s outstanding Community Association Managers. The managers were chosen based on the cumulative performance of their associations.

The Carbonell Condominium in Brickell Key won in the small communities’ category for “Energy & Water Conservation (Non-Landscaping)” for its sustainable practices and resource conversation programs. Other TCG managed properties recognized were Edgewater Condominium of Broward County in Coral Springs and Anclote Point Town Home in Tarpon Springs, which both won in the small communities’ category “The Comeback Kid.” This award presented by BB&T Association Services recognizes communities whose boards and managers have developed and implemented successful turnaround programs by revitalizing distressed properties.

 

“The Continental Group strives to bring the industry’s top professionals and finest resources together to deliver exactly what our associations and residents need to thrive,” said Tim O’Keefe, President of TCG.  “We are proud of the TCG communities and professional staff that were recognized in the different categories of the Communities of Excellence Awards.”

 

The Continental Group was also a Diamond-level sponsor of the awards program joined by other sponsors who have business interests dedicated to the servicing the needs of residents of condominiums and homeowner associations.

About The Florida Communities of Excellence Awards

The Florida Communities of Excellence Awards is a unique recognition program that shines a spotlight on the positive and productive initiatives taking place in condominiums, homeowners associations and cooperatives across Florida. Now in its fourth year, the independently judged program enables the top communities in the state to promote their accomplishments and raise their profiles while documenting their success and enabling others to learn from their examples. For more information, please visit communitiesofexcellence.net

About The Continental Group, Inc.

Founded in 1990, The Continental Group’s corporate headquarters is located in Hollywood, FL.

It also has regional offices in Boca Raton, Miami, West Palm Beach, Wellington, Vero Beach, Orlando, Tampa/St. Petersburg, Jacksonville and Destin. The company is the largest manager of condominium and homeowner associations in the state, and one of South Florida’s leading private sector employers.

 

Today, The Continental Group manages and maintains 1,500 Associations and more than 310,000 residential units. As the leading community association management company in Florida, Continental pioneered many of the practices widely utilized throughout the industry today.

 

The Continental Group is a subsidiary of FirstService Residential Management (FSR). FSR is the largest manager of residential communities in North America, overseeing more than 5,600 properties and over 1.3 million residential units.  FSR is a subsidiary of FirstService Corporation (NASDAQ: FSRV, TSX: FSV), a global leader in the rapidly growing real estate services sector, providing a variety of services in commercial real estate, residential property management and property services. More information about FirstService is available at firstservice.com.

 

To learn more about The Continental Group, call (954) 925-8200, toll-free: (800) 215-2316 or visit tcgmgt.com.

Energy, Environment

FPL offers Snowbirds ways to save Energy While Away

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FPL’s energy efficiency blogger, Danielle Mousseau, recognizes the opportunity to help seasonal residents. “We’ve noticed that seasonal residents have been very active on our blog, asking questions on ways they can save and how they can prevent mold while they’re away for the summer,” says Mousseau.

Juno Beach, FL (April 5, 2012) — Rising temperatures in Florida mark the time of year when seasonal residents begin preparing to close their homes for the summer. These snowbirds face unique challenges in preparing their homes, and Florida Power & Light (FPL) wants to help seasonal residents in its service territory face challenges like mold prevention and storm preparation, and help them save on their electric bills, too.

Although the number of seasonal residents varies, FPL estimates that there are about 400,000 seasonal residents its service territory.

FPL’s energy efficiency blogger, Danielle Mousseau, recognizes the opportunity to help seasonal residents. “We’ve noticed that seasonal residents have been very active on our blog, asking questions on ways they can save and how they can prevent mold while they’re away for the summer,” says Mousseau. “To help meet their needs, we developed a comprehensive checklist that they can use to help them save energy and money as well as prevent mold when their home is vacant.”

Like all FPL customers, seasonal residents benefit from the lowest electric bill out of the state’s 55 electric utilities, and a bill that is 25 percent below the national average, says Mousseau.

Here’s FPL’s checklist to prevent mold and save energy while your home is vacant:

Mold prevention
• For programmable thermostats: Set your A/C to run at 72 degrees for just two hours each morning before sunrise and at 88 degrees the rest of the time.
• For non-programmable thermostats: Set your A/C to run at 80 degrees while you are away. If you live in a condo or apartment set your A/C at 77 degrees.
• For maximum energy savings: Use dehumidifiers instead of air conditioning. Set dehumidifiers at 58 percent by sinks and showers, one for every 1,000 square feet. Be sure to place the dehumidifiers so the water runs into the drain.

Appliances

• Water heater: Unplug or turn off the circuit breaker to the hot water heater
• Unplug appliances and electronics. For security reasons, you may want to place timers on indoor lamps.
• Refrigerators: If you prefer to keep your refrigerator on, set it at its warmest setting. If your prefer to keep your refrigerator off, make sure to clean the interior with solution of 1 tbsp. of baking soda in 1 quart of water; dry thoroughly and leave doors open. Remove all food from the freezer and refrigerator and leave the refrigerator door propped open. If you have an automatic ice maker, switch it to the “off” position.

Pool
• Set your pool pump to run no more than six hours a day.
• Arrange for someone to check your pool’s chemical levels and water level while you’re away.

Billing and Payment Options
• For the easiest ways to receive and pay your FPL bill while you’re away, visit http://www.FPL.com/easy

Hurricane Preparedness
• Make arrangements for hurricane shutters to be installed prior to your departure if you will be gone for the duration of hurricane season, which runs from June to November.

Other
• Make sure all smoke alarms are working and have fresh batteries.
• Discard all perishable items.
• Ask someone to check on your property every two weeks while you’re away.
• Turn off the main water valve unless you have an automatic fire-sprinkler system. If you do, turn off the water valves to your washing machine, kitchen and bathroom sinks, dishwasher and toilets.

About Florida Power & Light Company
Florida Power & Light Company is the largest electric utility in Florida and one of the largest rate-regulated utilities in the United States. FPL serves 4.5 million customer accounts in Florida and is a leading employer in the state with approximately 10,000 employees. The company consistently outperforms national averages for service reliability while customer bills are below the national average. A clean energy leader, FPL has one of the lowest emissions profiles and one of the leading energy efficiency programs among utilities nationwide. FPL is a subsidiary of Juno Beach, Fla. – based NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE). For more information, visit http://www.FPL.com.

Media Contact:
FPL Media Line
Florida Power & Light Company
700 Universe Blvd.
Juno Beach, FL 33408
305-552-3888
amelia.gomez@rbbpr.com
http://www.fpl.com
For more information, visit: http://on.fb.me/GTJshe

Society

Occupy Sanford Movement is Preparing to Occupy Sanford Florida in Honor of Trayvon Martin

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Occupy Sanford.com is making preparations to Occupy Sanford Florida this summer. “If I had a son, he’d look like Trayvon,” says President Barack Obama (at a recent press conference), referring to 17 year old Trayvon Martin that was killed by block watch captain George Zimmerman.

Sanford, FL, March 28, 2012 — The OccupySanford.com movement is making plans to Occupy of Sanford, Florida this summer. Sanford is the city where 17 year old Trayvon Martin was tracked as suspicious, chased by community block watch captain George Zimmerman and shot to death.

Trayvon Martin was merely walking back to the residence where his father was, waiting for his return from the store. Trayvon Martin was not armed with any weapon, but merely had the items he purchased from the store, a pack of skittles candy and a can of iced tea, according to media reports.

“OccupySanford.com feels that the teenager was savagely attacked and murdered by blockwatch captain George Zimmerman merely for looking suspicious,” states Occupy Sanford Spokesperson Attorney Martin Felderman. A 911 call placed to Sanford Police partially reveals that George Zimmerman was told it was not necessary to chase the suspicious person.

“OccupySanford.com and the world would like to know, why would George Zimmerman defied the 911 dispatchers comment about not chasing the suspicious person? And why did George Zimmerman leave his vehicle? And there are various questions about the Coroners Office and Police Department that are still a mystery,” states Occupy Sanford spokesperson Attorney Martin Felderman.

OccupySanford.com is planning a three day occupancy of Sanford, Florida this summer, making it a family event and all citizens regardless of race, color, creed, national origin and religious affiliation are invited to attend.

Three days represents the amount of time that Trayvon Martin lay in the morgue while his family searched for him as a missing person.

OccupySanford.com is seeking individual and corporate sponsors for the event to make it an organized and peaceful success. OccupySanford.com feels that the death of Trayvon Martin is “the beginning to the end of a misused law, and incompetent police procedures in Sanford, FL,” says spokesperson Attorney Martin Felderman.

For further information please visit http://www.occupysanford.com

Media Contact:
Martin Felderman
Spokesperson
OccupySanford.com
1-888-853-5266
occupysanford@gmail.com
admin@occupysanford.com