Florida Keys Electric Cooperative sent crews, equipment, and material to assist with Hurricane Ian power restoration in Florida on Friday.
Three two-person FKEC journeymen linemen teams and a line superintendent with three bucket trucks, a pickup truck and a digger truck towing a back-yard lift are responding to the request for assistance from Glades Electric Cooperative. Glades provides power to over 17,000 accounts in portions of Glades, Hendry, Highlands and Okeechobee counties.
In response to a request for help in their warehouse, FKEC also sent a general storekeeper to Peace River Electric Cooperative, whose service area extends from Ruskin on Florida’s west coast to near Vero Beach.
“At FKEC, we know all about the importance of mutual aid. Five years ago, we had outside assistant crews here helping us restore power after Hurricane Irma,” said CEO Scott Newberry. “This will be a marathon, not a sprint, and we will continue working with our fellow electric cooperatives to support them however we can.”
While this is a critical situation, COO John Stuart reinforced the importance of safety to the crews before they left, saying, “You will be working in an urgent situation, but safety cannot be sacrificed. We know you will do a great job and come home safe.”
