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22 THE DAVEY BULLETIN | July/August 2020 Above left: Pictured is a washed-out causeway that crews were unable to cross to do storm work for FirstEnergy. Above middle: The tornado in Chattanooga, Tennessee, destroyed miles of houses and power lines. Above right: Winds reached 130 mph during the Tennessee tornado. SEVERE WEATHER KEEPS EASTERN UTILITY OPERATIONS ON THEIR TOES "The employees needed to listen, look for downed wires and be cognizant of lights on in homes," Van Cura said. "We have a protocol where if lines are down and we can't maintain minimum approach distances, or a Davey supervisor deems the work cannot be completed safely, our utility client has to make sure the lines are de-energized, isolated and grounded. A supervisor for our work group has to visually confirm the grounds, and with the guidance of the utility employee make sure the lines are grounded and tested to ensure they are de-energized and safe." SEVERE STORMS IN NORTHEAST OHIO Severe storms hit Northeast Ohio in early April, with 28 utility crews working to restore power for FirstEnergy. "We saw metal structures that were rolled up, barns knocked down and poles snapped without trees even falling on them," said Shane Adams, account manager, Central region. "In some areas, it was complete devastation." This storm response lasted six days, and crews worked 16-hour shifts. All employees on this response were local crews, Adams said. "We stress to our crews to call if they need help or can't do a job safely," Adams said. "We didn't want anyone taking chances. If they need to shut the job down until we can get more eyes on the situation or a better safety plan in place, that's what all stops are for. It's also important to watch your employees for fatigue. They might be too proud to say, 'I'm tired.' You have to keep an eye on them." MISSION Severe weather hit many areas of the country this spring. From high winds to tornados, several weather events called for Davey storm responses in Tennessee and Northeast Ohio. TORNADO IN CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE An EF3 tornado, with over 130 mph winds, caused devastating damage in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in April. Between Wolf Tree, Inc., a Davey company, and two other Eastern Utility accounts, 111 employees responded to the storm to restore power for Chattanooga EPB. Our crews worked alongside EPB crews and other workers from across eight states. Because of the damage, EPB had to re-energize three substations, rebuild 812 utility poles and replace 709 transformers. They also had to restring 125 miles of power lines. When it comes to storm responses, crew members go through a safety briefing to discuss potential hazards, said Bill Van Cura, vice president, Utility services, Atlantic region. The major potential hazards for this storm response were generators used by residents. This is a hazard because the generators could potentially energize the power lines. CHATTANOOGA STORM RESPONSE FROM THESE UTILITY ACCOUNTS: • ApCo-AEP • Newport Utility Board • Heywood EMC • Appalachian Electric • Cumberland Electric • Greenville Power & Light • Bristol Virginia Utility • Chattanooga EPB

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