Florence Recovery: Co-op Power Restoration Means All Hands on Deck
PublishedSeptember 18, 2018
Author
Derrill Holly
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Florence Recovery: Co-op Power Restoration Means All Hands on Deck
Crews prepare to head out for restoration work after pickup up poles and distribution system hardware from the Newport, North Carolina headquarters of Carteret-Craven Electric Cooperative. (Photo By: Lisa Galizia/Carteret Craven EC)
For electric co-ops in the path of Hurricane Florence, the process of restoring power to hundreds of thousands of consumer-members has been the ultimate team effort.
While the flashing lights of bucket trucks and digger-derricks along wet roads are hard to miss, every lineworker and tree trimmer working in the mud and muck to remove debris and rebuild power lines is backed up by co-workers at service centers, pole yards and other facilities commandeered to support emergency restoration work.
Everybody’s On Duty
“Crews in the field work 16 hours a day, but then they get rest breaks and stand down overnight,” said Gay Johnson, director of corporate communications at Four County Electric Membership Corp. in Burgaw, North Carolina. “Flooded conditions across our service territory and the amount of debris that still has to be removed limits what can be done safely in the dark.”
Support facilities were busy at many co-op locations even before Florence made landfall on Sept. 14, and the heightened activity will continue until power is fully restored.
“We expect to be doing this for about two weeks,” said Johnson. “We’ve got staffers who have been displaced out of their homes by flooding and their families are in shelters, but they’re on the job.”
In fact, one Four County EMC staffer has been designated a family trouble shooter. It’s his job to help out the families of employees who face Florence-related damages, such as roof leaks or water damage.
“He goes out and places tarps and does what he can to help limit the damage,” said Johnson. “All of our employees are on board with the mission: getting the power back on for the members.”
Stepping Up to Do What’s Needed
Earl Jones, an apprentice line technician at Carteret-Craven EMC (left), coordinates restocking efforts as crews continue power restoration following Hurricane Florence. (Photo By: Lisa Galizia/Carteret-Craven EMC)
“Peoplewho do certain jobs under normal circumstances get assigned to much different roles during emergencies like this because they are essential,” said Lisa Galizia, communications director of Newport, North Carolina-based Carteret-Craven Electric Cooperative.
“At times like this, what matters is lodging visiting crews, keeping everyone fed, getting supplies out, and bird-dogging for line crews unfamiliar with your territory,” said Galizia. “What you regularly do Monday through Friday when all is well is always important, but it may not be at all what’s needed most right now.”
Since the restoration effort geared up, the co-op headquarters’ parking lot by 5 a.m. each day has resembled a traffic jam in New York City’s Times Square. But instead of taxicabs, there are line trucks, pole trailers and digger-derricks with a dozen different co-op logos filling all available spaces.
“We’re pumping out grits, bacon and eggs to the crews, while our staffers load up trucks and trailers with the poles, transformers and other equipment they’ll need to at least start the day,” said Galizia. “It’s kind of like a ballet with vehicles flowing in and out the gates and headed out to rebuild lines.”
With 300 co-op staff and mutual aid crewmembers spread across the co-op’s four-county service territory, handling lunches and dinners has been a combination of onsite meals when crews come in for resupply and deliveries by any staffers available.
“When a staking technician or ‘bird-dog’ comes in to get materials, we’ll fill any extra space with meals to feed the crews they’re working with,” said Galizia. “We’re constantly keeping track of where the crews are and how many meals they need so we can run them out to them.”
While geographic information systems, global positioning system technology, cellphones and cab-mounted computers are critical during the ongoing restoration work, white boards, Post-it notes, chalk slates, legal pads on clipboards and paper notebooks are also getting a workout.
“It’s a combination of old and new technology,” said Galizia. “Anything that helps us get the job done will help us get service restored to our members as quickly and safely as possible.”
No Ties, No Titles
Myra Beasley, human resources director of Tideland EMC (center), runs a YMCA camp kitchen to help feed workers restoring power in the co-op’s service territory. (Photo By: Tideland EMC)
Just a few weeks ago, the YMCA’s Camp Seafarer in North Carolina was bustling with rambunctious youngsters enjoying their summer camp experiences. Now, the cabins and cafeteria are housing visiting lineworkers and tree crews who put in long hours rebuilding distribution lines for Tideland Electric Membership Corp.
“Our CEO has worn many different hats in this storm, but the most interesting of all has been school bus driver,” said Heidi Jernigan Smith, manager of marketing and corporate communications for Pantego, North Carolina-based Tideland EMC.
When crews pull in after dark at the co-op’s service lot, they park their trucks so the co-op’s beefed-up warehouse staff can restock hardware and other supplies needed for the next day’s restoration work. That’s when CEO Paul Spruill goes to work.
“He loads the crews up on a school bus to take them to Camp Seafarer and deliver them at one of four different bus stops for their designated group of cabins,” said Smith.
At the camp, hiring and benefits have not been foremost on the mind of Tideland EMC’s Myra Beasley, the human resources manager. She’s spending more than a dozen hours each day getting meals to everyone involved with restoring service to the several thousand co-op members without electricity.
“Beasley is heading up menu planning and food preparation with her day beginning at 4 a.m. to have breakfast ready by 5:30 a.m. Then lunch prep begins,” said Smith. “Accounting and member service employees are tasked with delivering both lunch and dinner to the crews wherever they are currently working.”
While mutual aid crews know their jobs and how to rebuild lines and restore distribution systems to Rural Utilities Service standards, they don’t necessarily know the topography of North Carolina’s coastal plain, or the cutbacks and mud bogs heavy rains can make of rural roads.
“We rehired two recent retirees as contractors,” said Smith. One former staffer is now helping crews get around flooded roads and other detours so they can continue restoration work. A former meter technician is disconnecting AMI meters in a flooded subdivision so work can be done safely to restore damaged underground distribution system components.
“Retirees know our system well, and they also know how we feel about safety, so they are a great fit at times like this,” said Smith. “They perform a wonderful service.”
Holston Electric Cooperative sent 9 lineworkers to Lumbee River Electric Membership Corporation in Red Springs, NC to assist with Hurricane Florence recovery efforts. (Photo courtesy: Holston Electric Cooperative)
Wiregrass Electric Cooperative line crews are helping Lumbee River EMC restore power to its members. The crews are having to deal with flooding and other obstacles but they are more than prepared to help rebuild as quickly and safely as possible. (Photo courtesy: Wiregrass Electric Cooperative)
Flooding leads to alternative transportation for lineworkers at Sequachee Valley Electric Cooperative (Photo courtesy: Anothony Johnson)
Trimming and clearing downed trees is a big part of restoration efforts. (Photo courtesy: Randolph EMC)
A flooded Tri-County EMC substation in North Carolina. (Photo courtesy: Tri-County EMC)
This Brunswick EMC truck just may be the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. (Photo courtesy: Brunswick EMC)
Flooding closes roads in Pee Dee Electric service territory (Photo courtesy: Pee Dee Electric)
Corn Belt Energy crews are assisting South River EMC near Fayetteville, North Carolina (Photo Courtesy: Corn Belt Energy)
Alabama's Cullman Electric Cooperative crew battle rain and wind to assist Brunswick EMC. (Photo courtesy: Chad Thompson)
Mutual aid and contract crews are using tracked equipment to reach damaged lines in the service territory of Lynches River EC near Pageland, South Carolina. (Photo by: Lynches River EC)
Driving through flooding, Corn Belt Energy crews are assisting South River EMC near Fayetteville, North Carolina (Photo Courtesy: Corn Belt Energy)
Crew from Randolph EMC working safely in hazardous conditions. (Photo courtesy: Randolph EMC)
Flooded road in Jones-Onslow EMC service territory near Jacksonville, North Carolina. (Photo courtesy: Jones-Onslow EMC)
Tree damage taking down lines in Jones-Onslow EMC service territory near Jacksonville, North Carolina. (Photo courtesy: Jones-Onslow EMC)
Corn Belt Energy crews are assisting South River EMC near Fayetteville, North Carolina (Photo Courtesy: Corn Belt Energy)
Corn Belt Energy crews are assisting South River EMC near Fayetteville, North Carolina (Photo Courtesy: Corn Belt Energy)
Tri-County dispatchers are on shifts and will continue to monitor the storm and outages. (Photo courtesy: Tri-County Electric Cooperative)
Brunswick EMC crews are methodically riding the lines to identify and safely remove trees from lines, like this one on Bricklanding Road. (Photo courtesy: Brunswick EMC)
Santee Cooper line crews hard at work to restore power. (Photo courtesy: Santee Cooper)
A series of leaning poles in Jones-Onslow EMC service territory near Jacksonville, North Carolina. (Photo courtesy: Jones-Onslow EMC)
Big trees cause big problems. Lucky for the members of Lynches River Electric Cooperative, they have awesome tree crews out in Chesterfield County, SC working to get these trees off the line and get power back on! (Photo courtesy: Lynches River Electric Cooperative)
Making repairs to the Davis Station substation. (Photo courtesy: Santee Electric Cooperative)
Middle Tennessee Electric Cooperative crews and equipment head out with Carteret-Craven Electric Cooperative crews to begin restoration in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence. (Photo courtesy: Carteret-Craven Electric Cooperative)
Power restoration in Roanoke EMC's service territory. (Photo courtesy: Roanoke EMC)
Apprentice lineman Zach Stewart gets ready to open a tap and change a 3-phase cross arm on the Four County system. (Photo courtesy: Sequachee Valley Electric Cooperative)
Crews from Four County EMC and assisting cooperative Sequatchee Valley wait for weather to allow restoration work to begin. (Photo courtesy: Four County EMC)
Downed trees disrupt more than power. (Photo courtesy: South River EMC)
York Electric Cooperative linemen are hard at work to replace and repair the broken poles to get members' power back on as soon as possible. (Photo courtesy: York Electric Cooperative)
High winds near the North Carolina coast are leading to downed trees, limbs and in this case a pole. (Photo courtesy: Carteret-Craven Electric Cooperative)
As the leading edge of rain comes in from Hurricane Florence, crews clear limbs and dead wood near roadside power lines. (Photo courtesy: Carteret-Craven Electric Cooperative)
Middle Tennessee EMC's 16 volunteers are part of more than 230 volunteers working with Carteret-Craven EMC to restore power in the wake of Hurricane Florence in North Carolina.
One lineworker carries a reminder of why safety is important. (Photo courtesy: Tideland EMC)
Lee Electric crews are replacing a broken pole and cross arm 2 miles east of Cypress Landing. (Photo courtesy: Tideland EMC)
Crews from Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas have arrived to assist with potential outages at Blue Ridge EMC. (Photo courtesy: Blue Ridge EMC)
Safety of crews and employees is the top priority for Union Power Cooperative as they work to restore power. (Photo courtesy: Union Power Cooperative)
The last major obstacle before two circuits can be energized. (Greg Morris photo from Tideland EMC)
York Electric Cooperative crew working to get a tree off of the line causing the outage for our Lakeview Circuit 6 members near Coltharp Road and Hwy 21. (Photo courtesy: York Electric Cooperative)
Missouri lineworkers provide assistance to Santee Electric Cooperative in Florence County. Here they are wading through a swamp to pick up a line. (Photo courtesy: Santee Electric Cooperative)
Missouri lineworkers provide assistance to Santee Electric Cooperative in Florence County. (Photo courtesy: Santee Electric Cooperative)
Horry Electric Cooperative crew works on finishing up the replacement of two utility poles in the Socastee area that, once the lines are heated up, will restore service to about 1500 members. (Photo courtesy: Horry Electric Cooperative)
Pee Dee Electric Cooperative crews are faced with severe flooding, periods of heavy rainfall and wind gust that slow the restoration process. (Photo courtesy: Pee Dee Electric Cooperative)
Union Power Cooperative crews continue to make progress restoring power. (Photo courtesy: Union Power Cooperative)
Treacherous conditions and soft ground bring about downed lines. (Photo courtesy: Union Power Cooperative)
Union Power Cooperative lineworkers endeavor to work safely in dangerous conditions. (Photo courtesy: Union Power Cooperative)
Union Power Cooperative lineworker works in among the trees. (Photo courtesy: Union Power Cooperative)
Union Power Cooperative crews make progress restoring power, working in challenging conditions. (Photo courtesy: Union Power Cooperative)
Randolph EMC crews continue to report broken poles & downed spans of wire, which account for several prolonged outages. Most broken poles have resulted from trees outside the right of way falling onto power lines because of the heavily saturated ground. (Photo courtesy: Randolph EMC)
Nine Duck River EMC lineworkers and seven trucks are aiding crews from Lumbee River EMC where flooding is an ongoing issue. (Photo courtesy: Duck River EMC)
A downed pole in the road in Four County EMC service territory. (Photo courtesy: Four County EMC)
Flooding in Four County EMC service territory. (Photo courtesy: Four County EMC)
A broken pole dangles over the road in Four County EMC service territory. (Photo courtesy: Four County EMC)
Flooding in Four County EMC service territory. (Photo courtesy: Four County EMC)
Middle Tennessee Electric Membership Corporation works with crews from Carteret-Craven EMC to restore power. (Photo courtesy: Middle Tennessee EMC)
Monitoring outages and the storm at Pee Dee Electric (Photo courtesy: Pee Dee Electric)
Line crews at Pee Dee Electric face high winds and flooding (Photo courtesy: Pee Dee Electric)
Sequachee Valley Electric Cooperative crews continue to battle flood waters and the remnants of Hurricane Florence as they help Four County Electric Membership Corporation restore power in North Carolina. (Photo by Anthony Johnson)
Fallen trees in Four County Electric Membership Corporation service territory in North Carolina. (Photo by Anthony Johnson)
Sequachee Valley Electric Cooperative crews continue to battle flood waters and the remnants of Hurricane Florence as they help Four County Electric Membership Corporation restore power in North Carolina. (Photo by Anthony Johnson)
South River EMC doing whatever it takes to get the power back on. (Photo courtesy: South River EMC)
Tree down in Pee Dee Electric service territory. (Photo courtesy: Chickasaw Electric Cooperative)
Lineworkers from Tennessee's Chickasaw Electric Cooperative are seeing significant flooding as they assist Pee Dee Electric crews in restoring power. (Photo courtesy: Chickasaw Electric Cooperative)
Restore, Dry Out and Repeat
“This has been all hands on deck, with lots of boots on the ground and all available hands on the phones,” said Penelope Hinson, manager of public relations, marketing and energy management for Horry Electric Cooperative in Conway, South Carolina. “There’s not a person in this co-op that hasn’t pitched into help.”
While some stay busy preparing meals and packing field supplies, others are on hotshot duty, delivering lunches, snacks, water and other essential supplies to crews spread across the co-op’s service territory.
Horry has no plans to release mutual aid and contract crews because additional major flooding across its service territory is a near-certainty. With all major restoration work completed Sept. 17, staffers who can reach their homes may get a break for a few hours to check on their families and property.
“We had three employees Monday morning who had to be picked up by National Guard,” said Hinson. The staffers had driven home Sunday night, but a localized heavy rainstorm pushed area waterways beyond their banks, leaving roads impassable except by boat or high-water vehicle.
“We expect the water to be as bad as the wind was, so we’re ready to get back into this when and if it’s necessary,” Hinson said.
“The ‘thank yous’ and gratitude can almost get disruptive,” said Tideland EMC’s Smith. A co-op member called her Monday to express his frustration because a crew was reluctant to accept a relatively large carryout order from a local restaurant.
“He told them, ‘If you don’t take this food, I’m going to throw it down on the ground because I want you to let me thank you properly,’” said Smith. “That kind of constant reinforcement keeps us moving. People get teary-eyed when they see you coming because they’re glad to get their power back on.”
A bird's eye view of staged materials at Carteret-Craven Electric Cooperative. (Photo courtesy: Carteret-Craven Electric Cooperative)
Randolph EMC crews and contractors providing storm assistance gathered early this morning for a briefing & hot breakfast to fuel up to respond to any outages that might occur in the wake of Hurricane Florence. (Photo courtesy: Randolph EMC)
Support crew trucks at Carteret-Craven Electric Cooperative are loaded and ready to go. (Photo courtesy: Carteret-Craven Electric Cooperative)
Line crew from Hillsborough-based Piedmont Electric Membership Corporation head east to assist at Carteret-Craven Electric Cooperative (Photo courtesy: Piedmont EMC)
Pitt & Greene EMC staged with trucks, trucks and more trucks. (Photo courtesy: North Carolina's Electric Cooperatives)
Earl Jones, an apprentice line technician at Carteret-Craven EMC (left), coordinates restocking efforts as crews continue power restoration following Hurricane Florence. (Photo By: Lisa Galizia/Carteret-Craven EMC)
Six lineworkers from Virginia's Northern Neck Electric Cooperative headed to Carteret_Craven Electric Cooperative in North Carolina to assist with restoration. (Photo courtesy: Northern Neck Electric Cooperative)
Workers fuel up to face the storm at Pee Dee Electric (Photo courtesy: Pee Dee Electric)
Preparing to roll out before sunrise, (Photo courtesy: Carteret-Craven Electric Cooperative)
Crews prepare to head out for restoration work after pickup up poles and distribution system hardware from the Newport, North Carolina headquarters of Carteret-Craven Electric Cooperative. (Photo By: Lisa Galizia/Carteret Craven EC)
Myra Beasley, human resources director of Tideland EMC (center), runs a YMCA camp kitchen to help feed workers restoring power in the co-op’s service territory. (Photo By: Tideland EMC)
Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation sent 12 lineworkers along with three bucket trucks, two digger trucks and two pickup trucks to South River Electric Membership Corporation in Dunn, N.C. to assist with Hurricane Florence recovery efforts. (Photo Courtesy: Cumberland EMC)
Lineworkers from Tennessee's Chickasaw Electric Cooperative are assisting Pee Dee Electric crews in restoring power. (Photo courtesy: Chickasaw Electric Cooperative)
Southern Coals Kitchen in Fayetteville called in staff to prepare 400 lunch plates for South River EMC. (Photo courtesy: South River EMC)
Meriwether Lewis Electric Cooperative volunteers work on recovery with EnergyUnited in Statesville, NC. The crew says the rain is heavy but spirits are co-op strong. (Photo courtesy: Meriwether Lewis Electric Cooperative)
Surry-Yadkin EMC cooks are hard at work already this morning preparing breakfast for line crews before they head out. (Photo courtesy: Surry-Yadkin EMC)
Nine Duck River EMC lineworkers and seven trucks are aiding crews from Lumbee River EMC. (Photo courtesy: Duck River EMC)
Additional crews from Alabama, Virginia, and Tennessee arrive to assist Union Power Cooperative in restoration efforts. (Photo courtesy: Union Power Cooperative)
Eggs Up Grill in Conway delivers a grab-and-go lunch to Horry Electric crews, They had DEMCO from Mississippi and Beauregard crews from Louisiana with them, plus Davie Tree crews. (Photo courtesy: Horry Electric Cooperative)
Santee Electric Cooperative crews roll out before the sun rises. (Photo courtesy: Santee Electric Cooperative)
Crews reported for duty at 5:30 on September 16 at Tideland EMC's Pamlico County office. The co-op plans to have 120 people on the south side of the Pamlico River. (Photo courtesy: Tideland EMC)
Missouri linemen have arrived at Santee Electric Cooperative. They will be working in all four counties of Santee's service territory. (Photo courtesy: Santee Electric Cooperative)
Crews from Arkansas co-ops gather at Blue Ridge EMC's Pickens warehouse before going out in the field to restore power. (Photo courtesy: Blue Ridge EMC)
Materials handler Tim Ford and warehouse manager Pat Corbett cut wire as Hurricane Florence approaches at Carteret-Craven Electric Cooperative in Newport, North Carolina. (Photo courtesy: Carteret-Craven Electric Cooperative)
Florida's Clay Electric Cooperative sent 31 employees and the pictured "Marsh Master" to assist Brunswick Electric Membership Corporation. in North Carolina (Photo courtesy: Clay Electric Cooperative)
Pee Dee Electric Cooperative staff pack snacks for crew who will be in the field. (Photos courtesy: PEE DEE Electric Cooperative)
Caney Fork crews bound for Rockingham North Carolina to help restore power at Pee Dee EMC on September 14. (Photo courtesy: Caney Fork Electric Cooperative)
Asplundh tree crews stage themselves to provide assistance at North Carolina's Brunswick EMC. Note the Minnesota tags visible in this picture. (Photo courtesy: Brunswick EMC)
Contractor trucks staged at the Carteret-Craven Electric Cooperative headquarters. (Photo courtesy: Carteret-Craven Electric Cooperative)
Lineworkers from Jones-Onslow EMC in Jacksonville, North Carolina, met on Sept. 12 to discuss power restoration efforts in preparation for Hurricane Florence. (Photo courtesy: Jones-Onslow EMC)
Southwest Tennessee Electric Membership Corp. sent 10 lineworkers to Jones-Onslow Electric Membership Corp. in Jacksonville, North Carolina, to assist with Hurricane Florence recovery efforts. (Photo courtesy: Southwest Tennessee Electric Membership Corp.)
umberland Electric Membership Corporation sent 12 lineworkers along with three bucket trucks, two digger trucks and two pickup trucks to South River Electric Membership Corporation in Dunn, N.C. to assist with Hurricane Florence recovery efforts. (Photo courtesy: Cumberland EMC)
A Rutherford Electric Membership Corp. bucket truck on standby for the approaching storm. (Photo courtesy: Carteret-Craven Electric Cooperative)
Holston Electric Cooperative sent 9 lineworkers to Lumbee River Electric Membership Corporation in Red Springs, NC to assist with Hurricane Florence recovery efforts. Photo courtesy: Holston Electric Cooperative)
Seven trucks loaded with equipment and 10 men left Tennessee's Sequachee Valley Electric Cooperative headed to Four County Electric Membership Corp. in Burgaw, North Carolina, to assist with Hurricane Florence recovery efforts. (Photo courtesy: Sequachee Valley Electric Cooperative)
As the sun was coming up Sept. 12, seven trucks loaded with equipment and 10 men left Tennessee's Sequachee Valley Electric Cooperative headed to Four County Electric Membership Corp. in Burgaw, North Carolina, to assist with Hurricane Florence recovery efforts. (Photo courtesy: Sequachee Valley Electric Cooperative)
Storm restoration kits prepped and ready to go at Carteret-Craven Electric Cooperative. (Photo courtesy: Carteret-Craven Electric Cooperative)
Staffers from Rappahannock Electric Cooperative load crossarms and other equipment into trucks at a service center in preparation for Hurricane Florence restoration work. (Photo By: Rappahannock EC)