Davey Tree Flipbooks

Determined Davey crewmembers helped restore power to hundreds of thousands last December. I t was "the largest Christmas-week storm" in Consumers Energy's 126-year history and the worst ice storm in 10 years. It was also the worst storm Toronto Hydro had experienced since its existence. Thick layers of ice dragged down branches and limbs in Toronto, Ontario, damaging an estimated 20 percent of the city's urban canopy—a mess that required cleanup well into the first month of the New Year and beyond. Once the storm ended its frozen path of destruction in the Northeastern U.S., subsequent freezing temperatures challenged crewmembers to restore power to residents suffering similar storm damage as quickly as possible. But when a large volume of calls bombarded utility companies with outage reports, Davey crews from areas all over the Eastern and Mid- western U.S. and Western Canada didn't hesitate to dispatch additional support. And they didn't need a Christmas miracle to do the job right. FROZEN OVER. In the U.S., the storm impacted the Great Lakes state the most. In late December 2013, Davey crewmembers worked one week straight to help restore power to Consumers Energy and Detroit Edison clients in Michigan. Hundreds of Davey employees—including some crews that traveled from Tennessee, Ohio, Indiana or Pennsylvania —worked overtime to address power outages at the 350,000 to 400,000 residential properties that did not have power. "It is truly unbelievable—the response that we had ... from our tree contractors during the ice storm," says Consumers Energy's Christopher Bellor, senior system forester. "To go five to seven days straight without seeing family members during the holidays is one of the most unselfish acts I have ever witnessed through my 15 years working at Consumers Energy." The storm affected a large area within Michigan itself, from Central Michigan to Lake Michigan and the Northern Detroit region. According to Jack Bloomfield, regional vice president of eastern utility services, it was more widespread than the last ice storm to hit the region 10 years ago. "Certainly the weather was warmer then, too," he says. Because freezing temperatures continued for days after the storm, Bloomfield says driving into the ice storm was a challenge for crew- members traveling to areas in need. Although every job requires a safety briefing, Bloomfield says crewmembers received special instructions before addressing ice storm damage. "We discuss driving techniques in ice, as well as defensive driving techniques," he explains. Despite the challenges Davey crewmembers encountered, they rose to the occasion without one safety-related incident. "The crews really recognized the importance of the work they were doing," Bloomfield says. Crews continued storm cleanup through mid-January. "The response from clients and homeowners was great," Bloomfield says. "Some brought crews cookies to thank them; we re- ceived great feedback, which makes a difference." DISARRAY IN THE GTA. Toronto Hydro received 128,000 calls reporting power outages at the height of the ice storm that also hit Ontario, Canada, in late December 2013. To efficiently and quickly address the requests Davey crews received for help amidst decreasing temperatures and threats of wind and snow, prioritization was crucial. "Our first focus was outages," says Mike Nash, vice presi- dent of operations for Davey Canada. As crews tackled streets and sidewalks to cleanup debris for emergency vehicle access, the backlog of residential requests required attention as well. "Within Ontario, the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) experienced the most significant impact from the storm," Nash says. Davey crews from as far away as British Columbia, as well as Saskatchewan and Alberta, traveled to the scene to assist local crews during and after the storm. Sales arborists from Davey's less-affected London, Muskoka, Niagara and Ottawa R/C offices arrived as well to help alleviate some pressure from the large volume of calls GTA R/C offices received from homeowners concerned about their trees after the storm. "It was a great team effort," Nash says. Davey crews are currently finishing cleanup efforts, including checking trees for hazards in municipalities, thanks to the Davey Resource Group inventory arborists located in the area. March/April 2014 | 5 The grate of a Davey truck illustrates the layer of ice that covered several regions of the Northeast after the ice storm. Consumers Energy crews remove damaged limbs from a tree on a residential property in Genesee County, Mich. An aerial view of Genesee County, Mich., during one of the worst ice storms to hit the region in recent history.

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