Jackson EMC sending linemen, other workers to help restore power following Hurricane Michael

Posted 12:05PM on Thursday 11th October 2018 ( 6 years ago )

Jackson EMC is one of several electric membership corporations that will send crews to Florida and South Georgia to help restore power in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael.

Jackson EMC spokeswoman April Sorrow said employees started volunteering earlier this week to go where they are needed.

"We were having conversations all week, actually, planning that if the damage in our area wasn't significant, what could we do to possibly help other EMCs," Sorrow said. "All week we've had a list of linemen that were ready to go as soon as things were cleared up here and now we're really happy and excited that we're able to put that plan in action."

On Friday morning, 26 linemen, two foremen and a mechanic will report to Georgia EMC for assignment. Sorrow said she is unsure of the exact location - or locations - the Jackson EMC workers will serve.

In addition, Jackson EMC has released 97 contractors to assist with restoration efforts in impacted areas.

Sorrow said it's standard operating procedure for EMCs to assist each other in emergency situations.

"To me, one of the great things about a cooperative is how much you do work together...during Irma we had people from all over the United States in here helping us," Sorrow said.

In fact, more than 600 linemen from North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Ohio assisted with power restoration in the aftermath of Irma, the tropical storm that hit North Georgia on Sept. 11, 2017. Greystone Power and Carroll EMC also assisted in that effort a year ago.

Sorrow said the impact from Michael on Jackson EMC's 10-county service area was minimal.

"At the peak of the storm there were 15 outages affecting 1,006 members," Sorrow said. She said forecasts call for windy conditions on Thursday, so the wind could certainly impact electric service if trees fall and bring down any power lines. She said Jackson EMC has plenty of personnel to handle those calls.

Sorrow said there's no timetable for the return of the Jackson EMC workers.

"They'll be gone as long as they need to," Sorrow said.

File photo

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