Drew Dixon
No doubt a powerful Category 4 Hurricane Milton is going to knock out miles and miles of power lines and supplies when the storm slams Florida. But the Florida Municipal Electric Association (FMEA) is positioning thousands of linemen to get to affected areas and restore electricity as soon as the tropical blast moves on.
Amy Zubaly, the Executive Director of FMEA, announced that the trade organization is already positioned to provide relief and restoration. The group has brought in 2,500 linemen and support positions from 22 states to assemble and prepare to move in and restore electrical operations as soon as possible.
“Crews across Florida’s public power communities will work throughout the day and night to restore outages as long as conditions permit, and they will resume restoration efforts as soon as it is safe to do so. While Florida public power utilities are prepared, customers across the state should prepare for extended power outages,” Zubaly said in a news release Wednesday.
The assembled workers include individuals coming from other states, such as Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas and Wisconsin.
Those workers and crews include professionals well beyond linemen and range in positions from damage assessors, line technicians, vegetation crews and support. They are being prestaged near affected areas to assess storm damage and restore power as quickly and safely as possible.
“We urge all Floridians to heed the guidance of local emergency management officials,” Zubaly said.
“To ensure the safety of restoration crews, disconnect any nonessential electrical equipment to avoid overloading circuits. Residents should also familiarize themselves with safe generator operation to ensure the safety of those in the home and utility personnel. Stay away from downed power lines and report downed lines directly to your local electric utility.”
