Wisconsin Public Service crew members work to restore power in the Tampa, Florida area after Hurricane Milton. (Photo courtesy of WPS)
(WTAQ-WLUK) — Wisconsin Public Service crew members are hard at work restoring power in Florida after Hurricane Milton.
Last week weekend, about 25 WPS workers arrived in Tampa and got right to work.
WPS crews began their work in northwest Tampa last Saturday, jumping in and helping restore power to a hospital affected by the storm.
The crews are now working to make repairs to some of the main power lines in the city’s neighborhoods.
The crews are seeing substantial damage — including toppled trees, flooded homes and broken electric equipment — while also managing hot temperatures and unfamiliar wildlife like snakes.
“Our crews are able to make good decisions, able to work safely, able to work efficiently and try to get through what they are giving us,” said Jon Joanis, operations manager — WPS, who is among the workers in Tampa. “The local lineworker we’re paired with has been very impressed with the guys’ work ethic, our coordination and speed of restoration.”
Crews aren’t sure when their work in Florida will be finished, but they are committed to helping as long as they are needed.
Joanis says Floridians are grateful for their help.
“We had customer after customer coming up and thanking them,” Joanis said. “One guy drove by and said he wanted to come and visit Wisconsin because he heard of all the great supper clubs he actually threw some names out there that guys knew. Our northern guys were very appreciative of that and thought it was pretty funny.”
The sister utility of WPS, We Energies, also has crews working to restore power in Tampa.
Comments