Cookeville Electric Sending Crews To Florida In Response To Hurricane Ian

Two Cookeville linemen crews are heading to Lakeland, Florida in response to Hurricane Ian.

Electric Department Director Carl Haney said eight men and five trucks left at 11:00 a.m. Thursday. Haney said their main mission is to help restore power to some 60,000 residents.

“Cookeville’s been in the same situation before whether it be ice storms, wind storms and of course, the tornado,” Haney said. “We always appreciate it when other electric systems can and are able to send people to help. We also want to do that for others.”

Haney said the crews will stay in Valdosta, Georgia tonight and arrive at their response location Friday morning. Haney said the crews will debrief with the local electric department, be assigned a certain area and start rebuilding the power grid.

“They are in need right now,” Haney said. “We appreciate our men that’s here and our crews for being willing to go and leave their families for some time to help out. The same that other system’s have done for us.”

Haney said they will work in Florida until next Friday with one crew on standby that could be called on depending on the need. Haney said as director, he tries to keep five crews in Cookeville at all times.

Haney said it is usually an easy transition for a lineman to work with another electric system. Haney said most departments follow a standard voltage.