By Karen Ryan, APR, CPRC
– LCEC Public Relations Director
Long before storm season,utilities develop response plans and options to mitigate damage and recover from destruction as quickly as possible. Experience from past storms helps LCEC in the planning process.
Incorporating lessons learned into the plan ensures rapid recovery for future storms. Southwest Florida has had their fair share of storms and LCEC restoration plans have been refined over the years. Investment in systems and programs year-long is aimed at reducing vulnerabilities and building a resilient electric system. LCEC continually hardens the electric system by proactively conducting inspections to identify potential problem areas and aging infrastructure, and repair or replace before the storm rolls in. Routine vegetation management helps to keep lines clear of trees and brush that could cause power outages.
No crisis can be managed without skill, knowledge, resources, and patience. Every employee and LCEC vendors and suppliers are on deck when the threat of a storm rear its ugly head. Restoration plans are practiced long before the first tracking model is published, and many potential scenarios are considered. No storm is the same and there is no way to know what each situation will bring. A resource estimator plan for additional crews, places to feed and house them, extra fuel, additional inventory and equipment, communications, fleet maintenance, and many other details are all proactively considered so that boots can be on the ground as quick as possible to restore critical infrastructure and help the community get back to normal.
How Can Residents And Business Owners Help In The Restoration Process?
Developing a family or business plan is critical. Remaining safe and comfortable without power is not a thrill but it is possible. Practice the plan and implement it when needed. Be patient and trust that utilities and their people are working as hard as possible to restore service quickly.
Use the information in the LCEC Hurricane Guide to make life easier while the restoration team works.
Immediately after a major storm, there is no need to report an outage. LCEC will assess the damage and know where repairs are needed. After a few days, if you are the only one in your location without service, that is the time to contact your provider.
Working Together
Coming together as a community while LCEC focuses on restoration is critical. Those with power can aid others without. Encouragement and support to all emergency responders can help sustain them through long hard hours of service. As frustrating as being without power may be, remember workers are away from their families under challenging conditions to help everyone get on with their lives.
Karen Ryan, APR, CPRC is the Public Relations Director for LCEC. She has been on the LCEC team since 1997 and has been writing about energy safety, savings and utility cooperatives for decades.
LCEC served nearly 250,000 members in a six-county service territory and has been delivering electricity in Cape Coral since 1958.
Karen serves on the Board of Directors for United Way of Lee, Hendry, and Glades and the Edison & Ford Winter Estates and is a past member of the Cape Coral Chamber of Commerce. She is also a past-president of the Florida Public Relations Association and the Edison Festival of Light and past chair of the American Heart Association Heartwalk and United Way campaign.
LCEC
P.O. Box 3455 N.
Ft. Myers, FL 33918
Website: https://www.lcec.net/Contact: 239-656-2300
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