Homestead Public Services (HPS) Energy crews are joining more than 140 Florida public power personnel and Florida Municipal Electric Association (FMEA) utilities headed to Louisiana to assist with power restoration efforts as Hurricane Delta approaches landfall this weekend.
“We’ve seen the devastation that these storms can bring and HPS and our customers have benefitted from mutual aid in the past. We are honored to have this chance to return the favor and help our neighbors get their lives back to normal,” said Barbara Quiñones, Director of HPS Energy.
Mutual aid crews traveling to Louisiana will undergo health screenings and temperature checks to ensure they’re fit for duty. Teams will remain socially distanced during briefings, in their lodging accommodations, and during mealtimes. To ensure the health of crew members, they will also wear proper PPE.
Mutual Aid Agreements enable municipal utilities to call on each other for emergency workers and supplies. Florida’s public power utilities benefit from this strong network of partners within Florida and across the country through the APPA. Florida’s municipal electric utilities also have forged mutual aid arrangements with Florida’s investor-owned utilities. These dependable connections have created a reliable system where member utilities both request and offer assistance.