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WED Assists Hurricane Relief Efforts
After Hurricanes Helene and Milton disabled power to communities across the Southeast region of the United States, members of the Westerville Electric Division (WED) line crew, in conjunction with American Municipal Power, traveled to Tallahassee and Lakeland, Florida as well as Greenwood, South Carolina to assist in the relief efforts and help restore power to residents in the impacted areas.
Sept. 24 - Oct. 11: Hurricane Helene
Operations Crew:Courtney BaileyJosh LukanderJJ SavageTodd VanSickle
Oct. 10 - Oct. 18: Hurricane Milton
Operations Crew:Rick CannonChris RevennaughTerin SeeversLane Untied
The first wave of WED lineworkers spent 18 days restoring power after Hurricane Helene, after making the 15-hour drive to Tallahassee. The team spent six days in the Florida Panhandle city before trekking six-plus hours northeast to work another 12 days in Greenwood.
While the Helene team continued its duties, the next phase mobilized and began its trip to Lakeland to support efforts following Hurricane Milton.
“The City of Lakeland has 140,000 power meters and at one point 130,000 were out of service,” said Line Supervisor Chris Revennaugh.
Unlikely Rendezvous
On their return route to Ohio, the Helene crew crossed paths with the second wave of WED team members near Knoxville, Tennessee. The groups swapped vehicles after greeting each other with big hugs and exchanging stories.
“We were trying to meet up in a somewhat close time frame," said Line Supervisor JJ Savage. “But, we ended up both getting off at the same exit at the exact same time. We actually could hear them on our radios about 30 miles outside Knoxville. It was a great feeling seeing familiar faces and being able to share our experience and prep the new crew headed down.”
Long Days, Grueling Conditions
Both teams averaged 15-17 hour days with early crew calls and continuing well into the evening. Their efforts working in the hot and humid southern conditions were more than appreciated by local residents as power was restored to affected areas.
“It really hits home when the people impacted reach out like they did,” said Line Worker Josh Lukander. “It means a lot. It means what we are doing is making a huge difference in getting people’s lives back together.”
For more images from the WED participation in the hurricane relief efforts, visit westerville.org/hurricanerelief.
Westerville Firefighter Assists in FEMA Hurricane Relief
Westerville Fire Lieutenant Nick Jones spent 21 days as a part of FEMA’s 82-person Urban Search and Rescue Team in impacted regions of Florida and North Carolina.
Jones, serving as a rescue specialist, was initially stationed in Orlando, Florida, ahead of Helene. As the storm moved north, he and his unit traveled by convoy to the Asheville, North Carolina area. Eventually, they returned to Orlando as Hurricane Milton made its way inland.
Jones and the team led primary search efforts in Florida as well as flood and mudslide recovery in North Carolina.
“My role as a rescue specialist is boots on the ground,” said Jones. “I conduct operations on the searches, executing door-to-door as well as targeted sites. If we find someone in distress or in need of treatment, we have all the tools at hand to effectively treat them in nearly any situation.”
