KPUB linemen providing aid to Florida, L to R: Josh Whitworth, David Burley (crew leader), Nathaniel Crabtree, Justin Martinez, Eric Hancock, Zach Guinn and Trey Owen.
September 28, 2022— As a community-owned utility company, the Kerrville Public Utility Board (KPUB) is part of a network of over 2,000 public power utilities that answer the call for mutual aid to help restore power during major events.
KPUB deployed seven of its line workers this morning to Tallahassee, Florida, to answer the call for mutual aid assistance with anticipated power restoration efforts due to damages from Hurricane Ian. In addition, KPUB has also released its tree and construction contractors to respond to the storm.
The line workers currently traveling to the sunshine state to begin work are David Burley (crew leader), Josh Whitworth, Nathaniel Crabtree, Justin Martinez, Eric Hancock, Zach Guinn and Trey Owen.
“We are proud of our linemen who have stepped up to volunteer to restore power for the Florida communities in need,” said Tammye Riley, KPUB director of operations. “I commend them for taking the time away from their families for possibly several weeks to work in unfavorable conditions.”
This trip marks the ninth time KPUB has provided mutual aid assistance for other communities. KPUB crews have previously worked in Florida for the cities of New Symrna Beach in 2019, New Symrna Beach, Lakeland, and Bartow in 2017, and in Kirbyville, Texas, after Hurricane Rita in 2005, Ike in 2008 and Laura in 2020. KPUB also provided Central Texas Electric Cooperative (CTEC) assistance with restoration efforts during Winter Storm Uri in February 2021.
“Helping with events like this gives our linemen valuable experience in dealing with widespread outage situations,” said Mike Wittler, KPUB general manager & CEO. “We’ve been in a situation ourselves where mutual aid was needed in May 2020 to get our customers’ lights back on. It’s important to pay it forward and provide personnel and resources whenever possible.”
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