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

"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

BusinessVibes Presents Top Marketing Strategies for Business

The global B2B networking platform - BusinessVibes, would like to share some marketing strategies, and hope you can make the best of it for your own business.

London, UK, August 10, 2012 -- The art of successful marketing is always down to making good strategies, and the key thing is how to make the best suitable marketing strategies for your business, while the lucky thing is many of the same basic principles still apply.

So if you truly want your business to succeed, these top marketing tips are just the tools that you need. These tips will help propel your business to the top of your industry. If you are ready to draw in new business but are not sure how, global B2B networking platform - BusinessVibes would be more than happier to share this list of top 5 marketing tips with you, and hope you can make the best of it for your own business.

1. Keep your marketing approach current. Many entrepreneurs rely on old copies of outdated books for their marketing advice. Although these books may have been useful for the market for which they were written, they are probably not relevant to the current market.

2. Attract clients rather than pursue them. If you make your business look attractive, customers and clients will flock to it. If you have to chase your clients and convince them that you are awesome, you will not have as much success. You should always project the idea that your clients need your product more than you need them. This helps to promote the idea that you are valuable.

3. Pay close attention to your website. Most potential clients or partners use internet when they want to research potential companies. This is true regardless of which type of product or service you provide. In most cases, your website may be the first interaction that a potential client has with you. When your website is professionally designed and beautiful, it convinces customers that your company is also top notch and professional. In addition to creating a first impression, your website can also help to draw in customers. By hiring someone to optimize your website, you will be able to draw in more traffic.

4. Learn about content marketing. Content marketing is when you provide valuable content to people on your website. When someone searches for an answer to a problem on the internet, they may encounter your content. While reading your content, they may become convinced to hire you. This is a very effective way to draw extra traffic to your website and ultimately to your business.

5. Create a network of other entrepreneurs. A valuable network of colleagues can help your business to succeed in any market. You should always be eager to meet successful people in your industry, and you should strive to identify how you can help each other on the road to success. There are even global B2B websites like BusinessVibes that can help you to connect with other entrepreneurs and other opportunities in worldwide.

Media Contact:
Lise Martineau
Marketing Executive - Europe
BusinessVibes Network International Inc
8 Wimpole Street
London W1G 9SP
+44 20 7291 0883
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