Sweating the Summer and Preparing for Winter

This summer has vacillated between extreme heat and unending rain. In these conditions the summer maintenance process for crews can be frustrating; gearing up in close to 100 degree heat or heading out in ceaseless rain can complicate regular maintenance. Crew members need to keep an eye on each other and be aware of the signs of heat stroke or heat exhaustion. NEPPA recently sent a reminder out with the symptoms so please make sure you post this information and watch your co-workers to ensure they are getting plenty of fluids and are attentive to their conditions and situation.

Equally of concern is the amount of rain that we have been receiving. Being attentive to conditions that change and could change the conductive nature of elements or surroundings is important. Surprisingly, the actual level of the average water table in New England is also a concern. The fact that the ground saturation could destabilize trees, poles and other structures is something to consider whether you are responding to an outage or just conducting preventive maintenance. 

Regarding preperations for the winter/storm season:

NEPPA has purchased an emergency response communication system to help facilitate our Mutual Aid program. The system will allow us to have several contact points for participants and coordinators. It should reduce situations where there is difficulty withrequesting or assisting utilities communicating with their regional coordinators.

The new system allows for automated contacts to be launched from smartphones and for multiple forms of contacts to occur. But a system is only as good as its weakest link. Regional coordinators are reaching out to utility members to confirm the utility contact and all of their contact data. If your utility hasn’t been contacted yet, please connect with your regional coordinator and provide them with the needed contact information. 

We will conduct beta testing of the system this month, and I will communicate those results and more details of the system in next month’s Newsline. 

The summer is hot for NEPPA for other mutual aid reasons. There are two other related activities that are occurring to prepare for future events: We have been working with APPA to create a national mutual aid network. The APPA committee will work on items such as creating a shell for areas of the country with no mutual aid program to follow. This will create national communications system for regional groups like NEPPA to network and provide assistance to each other.

APPA will also take the lead in working with FEMA and the Department of Transportation in coordinating relief and tracking the progress of the new systems.

Along with these efforts, a NEPPA task force has developed a system for recruiting outside assistance for our members when our Mutual Aid program is maxed out, and for providing assistance to other areas of the country when their systems are overwhelmed. The program will go to the NEPPA Board of Directors for approval at our next meeting and upon approval will be released to our members. 

With the additions of our new communications system and the formalization of an external mutual aid component, I have no doubt that New England public power has the best mutual aid program in the nation. 

We will release details on all changes next month. For those attending the General Foremen’s Roundtable on August 15 at the NEPPA Training Center, we will provide a preview of the additions and changes. 

Lastly, thank you to our Mutual Aid Coordinators who do such a great job organizing regional assistance. It is easy to move through storm season and lose sight of all of their efforts.