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Gulf Power Team Of 180 Heads To Help Restore Power After Hurricane Laura
August 28, 2020
A storm team of 180 Gulf Power employees and contractors left Thursday to help with power restoration efforts in Louisiana after Hurricane Laura.
Traveling with the team is Gulf Power’s new community response vehicle, which can serve as a mobile command center for the crews as well as a charging station for customers that are without power.
Gulf Power joins its sister company, Florida Power & Light, who sent more than 900 employees and contractors earlier this week to assist Entergy Louisiana and Entergy Texas with their restoration efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Laura.
“These communities are in dire need of help after having two tropical systems impact them – including a major hurricane. We are honored to be able to assist – just as so many have stepped up to help us in the past,” said Marlene Santos, president of Gulf Power. “We are in unprecedented times as we deal with a global pandemic and an extremely active hurricane season. As we aid our fellow utilities in restoring power, we will take every precaution to keep both our crews and the communities we will be working in safe.”
Gulf Power sent teams to support FPL earlier this month as Isaias brushed along the Florida coast as it headed north. Crews from both companies recently returned from working in New Jersey after Hurricane Isaias knocked out power to millions in the Northeast. Now, this deployment for Hurricane Laura marks the second time this month that Gulf Power and FPL deployed employees and contractors will work to support power restoration efforts following a hurricane.
The crews will follow COVID-19 safety guidelines to keep everyone safe, including social distancing, increased sanitation measures and wearing masks where appropriate. In addition, the crews are planning to be self-sufficient to limit contact with other teams. Signs on trucks remind the public to honor the 6 feet social distancing requirements that help keep the crews safe while they work.
When Gulf Power puts a team together to travel and assist other utilities, its first consideration is ensuring enough crews remain in Northwest Florida to maintain reliability at home and that no severe tropical weather systems are forecast to impact the area in the coming days.
Comments
6 Responses to “Gulf Power Team Of 180 Heads To Help Restore Power After Hurricane Laura”
After Hurricane Ivan, the sweetest sound in the world was the sound of the chain saws in the hands of the Tree Trimmers, followed by the Gulf Power trucks arrivals. Prayers for all affected in Louisiana, thankful that my many kinfolk in eastern Louisiana were spared the wrath of Laura.
sad to say tree trimmers have to clear the way for power crews to restore power been doing this 38 years and yes even in a panademic laterson is missing his sons first day of school to help restore power in texas but we never get mentioned just saying later
We hope and pray they arrive safely and stay well during these very trying and difficult times in 2020.
We will see many convoys of these support trucks and crews on I-10 and hope everyone will respect their presence in the traffic as they are going to assist our neighbors to the west just as they came to support us during our time of need in years past.
sad to say tree trimmers have to clear the way for power crews to get to the lines to restore power been doing this for 38 years and tree crews never get mentioned but its all good we leave our family also just saying my step son is missing his sons first day of school to help clear the lines in texas
God bless all of you.
I was stationed in Mississippi when Katrina hit, the convoys of power companies, tree services and volunteers brought tears of relief to my eyes daily. God Bless them all.