EXPLAINER: How Nebraska utility crews mobilize for natural disasters
OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene and in the wake of Hurricane Milton, power crews from across the country are helping to restore service.
Many from right here in the heartland are also giving back.
After Helene ran through five states, crews from the Nebraska Public Power District answered a call for help.
“Our guys are in Georgia,” said Distributions Line Manager Doug Klug. He’s working to organize the efforts.
Fifteen NPPD employees are replacing poles and getting conductors back up and running in the Augusta area. Klug said it’s common for NPPD crews to help in a devastating situation like this.
“We know what it takes. We’ve got a lot of experienced individuals who have done this in the past,“ Klug said. “Half of the guys that are there this week helping have been on previous storm restoration projects.”
Klug said technicians are able to join a “mutual-aid list.”
That means whenever NPPD gets the call to help after a disaster, crews are already waiting in the wings and ready to help.
“We get on a call well in advance and plan which areas are going to support the storm,” Klug said. “It’s a lot to ask and our technicians have a lot to give.”
Omaha Public Power District has a similar approach.
“We actually started on September 28th. Went to West Virginia,” OPPD Field Supervisor Ernie Ross said. “We came to Orlando, Florida and we are staying at a staging area with about 1,000 linemen and tree crews.”
HURRICANE HELP
OPPD mutual aid crews staying in southeast as Hurricane Milton approaches
The Omaha Public Power District’s mutual aid crews are staying out east as one storm ends and another one approaches.
Ross said about 100 OPPD crew members are on standby to help at any time. He said many chose to volunteer their time after experiencing help during natural disasters close to home.
“We know what it’s like with the storms we have and the destruction and the devastation," Ross said. “We know that there’s other utilities that need us and it’s really honoring and humbling.”
NPPD crews will continue serving the communities affected by Helene in southern Georgia.
OPPD crews are waiting for their official location to help with Milton, but will stay in Florida until their work is done.
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