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G. Thomas Upshaw | President & CEO
'Trying to Reason With Hurricane Season” is more than just a Jimmy Buffett
song title — it’s a way of life for five months a year for many, many Palmetto Electric
Cooperative employees.
When you factor in the preparation and training that predates June 1, hurricane season
demands a lot of attention from a lot of people here. Employees in many departments have
been preparing for the season for some time. For one thing, they’ve followed the forecasts.
They’re predicting a very active year. Even before the official start of the season, we had one,
Subtropical Storm Andrea, which danced around in the mid-Atlantic in May. But we were ready.
Although last year’s season was one of the mildest on record, we can’t count on that.
It’s planning and training that make the difference in dealing with any major storm.
Palmetto Electric Cooperative employees get special training in power restoration after hurricanes and
other major storms. They review the co-op’s procedures and emergency action plans. As major storms
approach, lineworkers, engineers and other technicians go through a checklist of duties and preparations.
Employees who don’t normally work in the field are assigned to storm-duty jobs. For example,
most of the administrative staff members help out in supporting the contact center, arranging for food and housing
for crews, etc. Meanwhile, other employees who do not normally work on power lines and equipment, but who
perform outdoor work such as meter reading or staking, after storms will assist line crews in restoring power.
Even though these are not their regular jobs, ongoing training and special procedures help ensure that
storm recovery work will be as smooth as possible for the co-op and our members.
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