INDUSTRY INSIGHTS
INDUSTRY INSIGHTS
Preparing for the Storm
Mutual Assistance Strategies
When Mother Nature Wreaks Havoc, Fleets Play a Pivotal Role in Turning the Lights Back On
By Seth Skydel
It was a busy year for NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the U. S. Department of Commerce. The agency had its hands full with 18 named tropical systems, 11 of which were hurricanes, including five major storms.
The above-average and one of the costliest seasons on record also featured five hurricanes making landfall in the continental U. S., including two as major storms with winds of 111 miles per hour or greater. Adding insult to injury, 12 named storms formed after the climatological peak of the season in early September, including seven in the Atlantic after Sept. 25, the most on record for this period.
Hurricanes and other natural events like wind and ice storms wreak havoc on the electrical grid, often leaving stricken areas without power for extended periods of time. It is then that the nation’ s electric utilities not only come to the rescue across their service territories. When the call for help goes out, mutual assistance agreements come into play as well.
For utility fleet managers, proven strategies help ensure a successful response:
Jacksonville Electric Authority( JEA)
When mutual assistance is needed at Jacksonville, Florida-based JEA, Justin Hightower, manager, fleet services, heads up a team of associate managers, fleet specialists, vehicle asset coordinators, fleet support associates, fuel drivers, dispatchers and support personnel. He is also charged with coordinating vendors for maintenance services and fuel.
“ Our initial storm prep activities include fueling vehicles and generators at pumps and lift stations,” Hightower said.“ We also redeploy vehicles and equipment to areas in need, identify and set up staging sites, including JEA service centers and mutual aid locations, and ensure supplies are fully
16 l January-February 2025