Public Power Crews Headed to Louisiana to Assist with Power Restoration Efforts

With Hurricane Delta expected to make landfall this weekend, the Florida Municipal Electric Association (FMEA) has coordinated with its members to send mutual aid to assist with power restoration efforts in Louisiana.

More than 140 Florida public power personnel, including line and tree crews, from 10 different public power utilities will arrive in Louisiana by this Saturday. Crews from Beaches Energy Services in Jacksonville Beach will be stationed in Plaquemine, and JEA (Jacksonville) will provide support in Alexandria. Gainesville Regional Utilities, City of Tallahassee Electric Utility, Lakeland Electric, Kissimmee Utility Authority, Orlando Utilities Commission, Fort Pierce Utilities Authority, City of Homestead Electric Utility and Keys Energy Services will all provide aid to Lafayette Utilities System.

Additional public power utilities are on standby and ready to assist if needed.

This is the second time this hurricane season FMEA has sent mutual aid to Louisiana. Following Hurricane Laura, crews from seven Florida public power utilities provided support to six Louisiana public power communities.

“Having multiple hurricanes affect a region during one season is devastating and our public power communities are eager to lend a hand in any way we can. It’s challenging times like these that remind us of the dedication public power utilities have to one another, ensuring we’re all able to get back on our feet, quickly and safely. I am thankful for our members traveling back to Louisiana and look forward to their success in restoring power to those in need,” said Amy Zubaly, FMEA Executive Director.

Mutual aid crews traveling to Louisiana will undergo health screenings and temperature checks to ensure they’re fit for duty. Teams will remain socially distanced during briefings, in their lodging accommodations, and during mealtimes. To ensure the health of our crew members, they will also wear proper PPE, as protecting our crews during a pandemic continues to be a top priority.

Mutual Aid Agreements enable electric utilities to call on each other for emergency workers and supplies. Public power utilities across the country benefit from the strong network of mutual assistance partners through the American Public Power Association. These dependable connections have created a reliable system where member utilities both request and offer assistance when in need. FMEA is proud to serve as the mutual aid coordinator for Florida public power utilities.