News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Cookeville electric crews face several challenges as they assist in the hurricane-stricken areas of the Florida Panhandle.
Operations Superintendent Carl Haney said workers are trying to restore power to Blountstown, approximately 40 miles from Panama City.
“They’re basically helping to rebuild the town,” Haney said. “Right now it’s completely devastated. They have very few poles standing and no other infrastructure really going. So they’re down there helping to build that at the time. Right now they’re looking at maybe two weeks, three weeks before they actually start getting power even onto part of that city.”
Haney said the biggest challenge crews are facing is having enough food and water. He added the department is looking into ways the public may be able to help.
“That’s what we’re trying to work on now, is trying to get some lists together,” Haney said, “is there anything as far as non-perishable type stuff or any necessities that they might really need that we can get together. But that’s what we’re working on. Hopefully we can have a list together and get it out to everyone.”
Department Director Tony Peek said they are in communication with crews to determine what they need and what the department can do for them back in Cookeville.
“We’re still talking with them multiple times a day and things are changing there on an hourly basis,” Peek said. “It may be Thursday before we realize exactly what their needs may be. I know initially they were in need of bottled water and those types of things but that’s all been taken care of, and again, it’s changing on an hourly basis.”
Peek said the department is looking into sending additional workers to Blountstown to relieve those already down there.
“We’re going to send relief – four more folks – down near the end of the week,” Peek said, “and let those guys drive down, let those [others] come back and rest up. We may even do it a third time if the Council approves that.”
As of now, four workers are in Blountstown assisting in the relief efforts, including Mike Phy, Josh McCowan, Cameron Shelby, and Zeb Randolph. Peek said there are about six crews in total trying to restore power to the city of approximately 2,500.
