Local power crews head to Florida in wake of Hurricane Ian's wrath
COLDWATER — Four Coldwater Board of Public Utilities electric crew with two trucks spent Wednesday night in Georgia waiting to head into Florida for power restoration after Hurricane Ian made landfall in the panhandle state.
CBPU director Paul Jakubczak said, “It's a part of the American Public Power Association, APA, national mutual aid response” for municipally owned electric systems.
More:Local power company assisting with Hurricane Ian relief in Florida
The request came through American Municipal Power from the Florida Municipal Electric Association to provide men and equipment.
“We saw it as an opportunity to help others. So, we volunteered and sent a crew of four,” Jakubczak said.
The men left Tuesday in two trucks and expected to be in Orlando by Wednesday. With a shift in the track of the storm, the crews along with others from around the country, stopped in Georgia and moved to the Orange County area Thursday to aid Orlando City Utilities as weather permitted.
Crews were waiting to learn where they will be needed depending on damage from the wind and rain.
More:Hurricane Ian makes landfall on Florida's southwest coast as major Category 4 storm: Live updates
“They may have to move farther east towards Jacksonville, or Jacksonville Beach or any of the other municipal utilities,” the director said.
Jakubczak was the director of Electric and Gas Systems for Ft. Pierce, Florida, until March when he took the CBPU job. He previously served on the FMEA board.
Other municipal systems were hit by the hurricane as it crossed Florida.
Subscribe: Get unlimited access to our local coverage
“I know of municipalities that are down on that west side, you've got Kissimmee, Lakeland, and Wauchula, that sustain damage,” Jakubczak said. “After they finish whatever they need in Orlando, I'm sure they will be dispatched to those areas.”
Workers from Indiana Michigan Power also were headed to Florida on Wednesday.
More than 350 I&M line workers, damage assessors, forestry experts, support staff and business partners left Fort Wayne for Florida and were to be in place before the anticipated storm was expected to make landfall, according to a statement issued Wednesday.
Crews will remain as long as needed.
“It's not a Florida vacation. They'll be working 12- to 16-hour days. Once a hurricane goes through, the temperature doesn't go down like an afternoon thunderstorm here.” Temperatures are expected to climb into the upper 80s with high humidity.
Florida utilities will cover the costs for the volunteer crews while on the mutual aid mission.
This article originally appeared on Coldwater Daily Reporter: Coldwater Board of Public Utilities sends crews to Florida to help restore power
