Black Warrior Electric crews among co-op deployed to Florida

Crews from Alabama’s electric cooperatives left Wednesday morning headed to Florida in anticipation of possible power outages caused by Tropical Storm Hermine, expected to make landfall Thursday. Crews from four cooperatives are “pre-staging” to be ready to help crews from Tri-County Electric Cooperative in Madison, Fla., according to Mike Temple, director of training and risk management for the Alabama Rural Electric Association of Cooperatives (AREA).

Crews sending 30 linemen and 18 vehicles to Florida are from Central Alabama Electric Cooperative, Dixie Electric Cooperative, Black Warrior Electric Membership Cooperative and Pea River Electric Cooperative. Tri-County Electric Cooperative is located east of Tallahassee.

“Alabama’s cooperatives are always willing to help our fellow cooperatives when there is a need,” said Temple. “The cooperative spirit continues to be alive and well in our Alabama cooperative family.”

Previously called Tropical Depression No. 9, Hermine strengthened into a tropical storm with 40-mph winds Wednesday afternoon. News reports said the storm was expected to make landfall late Thursday in the Big Bend area of Florida, cross the state into southeastern Georgia and then continue up the East Coast.

AREA remains in regular contact with its member electric cooperatives to help as needed in any other areas.

Crews from Alabama’s 22 electric cooperatives have helped fellow cooperatives restore electricity in Alabama and other states in the past when power outages occurred as the result of severe weather due to tornadoes, hurricanes and winter ice and snow storms.

AREA is a federation of not-for-profit electric cooperatives that provide dependable electricity to more than 1 million Alabamians in 64 counties.