Ninety-mile-per-hour wind gusts slammed into New England like a freight train, felling trees and turning utility poles into kindling. Heavy rain on the coast and heavy wet snow inland compounded the problem, plunging a half-million utility customers into darkness. Utilities responded immediately, dispatching crews to keep and restore power to vital services such as hospitals and public service facilities.

It quickly became apparent that the damage was beyond the norm, and the utilities shifted into storm restoration mode. Crew schedules, typically 17 hours on and seven hours off, were established to provide 24-hour restoration efforts. Supervision, clerical, stock and meter personnel mirrored the line crew rotation to provide logistical and field support.

Northeast utilities hired private line contractors and tree companies for additional crews to assist in the restoration. Central Vermont Public Service, Public Service of New Hampshire and Central Maine Power turned to On Target Utility Services (Gardiner, Maine) to provide assistance. On Target provided line crews, locate personnel and pole-setting crews.

Springing Into Action

Following the storm, the utilities assigned personnel to assess the damage to the system. They then documented the location of downed trees and wires, broken poles and damaged transformers. This information was sorted at the service center level.

The storm staff assigned tree crews to clear roads for access and to assist in the restoration of critical circuit. The local crews were busy in the first part of the storm making the areas around downed power lines safe. Linemen also focused on restoring power to critical customers, such as hospitals, fire and police stations and schools used as temporary shelters for customers without power.

Safety First

Following the mid-March storm in the Northeast, On Target gave its line crews a safety briefing. During this session, the managers covered the company's safety rules for testing and grounding of lines, communicating with the service center and energizing lines.

The utilities also stressed the need to stay in assigned areas to prevent accidents. With multiple crews from different utilities and contractor companies working on the restoration effort, it was imperative that the utilities know the exact location of all crews before allowing an area to be re-energized. The crews were assigned a local employee to act as a liaison, given a circuit to restore and then dispatched to that area.

Clearing the Way

Arriving at the work site, the crews assessed the damage in front of them and created a plan for clearing, repairing and re-energizing the three-phase lines to restore as many customers as quickly as possible.

Tree crews were assigned removal projects in front of the line crews either to clear a path or to clear the lines themselves. All broken poles found were communicated to the service centers for replacement.

If the time frame for replacement was too long, the crews made temporary repairs that would allow for the restoration of service. As each portion of the line was repaired and ready for service, the crews informed the service center, requested permission to re-energize the line and then energized it.

Remote Restoration

The crews move from the most populated areas that can be restored most quickly to the most remote, difficult areas. These areas are often left until the very end of the storm, because they need special equipment or require manpower that can be used more efficiently elsewhere.

For example, after the high winds had subsided, Central Maine Power sent On Target to the island communities located in Casco Bay near Portland, Maine. These islands are served by submarine cables but also have overhead wires.

The 90-mph winds in this storm broke in excess of 20 poles and blew over scores of trees. It was not unusual to see cars and homes crushed by falling trees, and roads blocked by debris.

While the islands are largely populated by summer residents, there are a hardy group of year- rounder residents who needed power restored. When the wind had subsided, Central Maine Power contacted On Target to replace the broken poles and restore power to the islands.

Out at Sea

Before replacing the broken poles on the islands, On Target had to find a way to move its equipment across the water to the communities in Casco Bay. The pole set group worked with barge companies to move a digger truck, ledge truck and pole trailers to the islands.

Working on the water to move heavy equipment brings in a dimension of planning that the average landlubber can find very daunting. The equipment in Portland is typically loaded at the East End beach on the Eastern Promenade and off-loaded at a beach location on each of the islands.

Timing of the tides is critical, because the barge skippers need to get the equipment far enough up on the beach to land on solid ground and yet have enough water under the barge so that they do not get stuck. Typically, this is done on fairly calm conditions, but exceptions are made in emergencies.

While the wind had subsided from its storm intensity, it was still blowing in the 20-mph to 30-mph range, and the seas were running with a heavy chop. The barge crews and digger crews used all of their skill and experience to get their trucks and equipment loaded, lashed and unloaded without incident. In one case, however, the seas were so rough that a cleat on the dock securing the work boat tore out of the dock and required immediate repair.

On the Job

This work was not for the faint of heart. The crews worked in this environment for six days with no lost time, no injuries and no damage to their equipment.

On Target's linemen assisted the digger crews so they could access to the pole locations. The digger and ledge crews drilled the ledge, set poles, and installed anchors and ledge pins as needed. The digger crews then assisted the line crews in restoring power.

Some of the work, such as service entrances that had been damaged beyond the point of attachment, was left for electricians to repair and reconnect at a later time.

Around the Clock Support

While On Target's linemen were out in the field focusing on the restoration effort, the company's management and clerical teams were establishing a rotation to ensure 24-hour coverage.

Most employees stay in touch with their families via cell phones, but they can be assigned to areas with no cell phone coverage. The office support staff can then be the family's only point of contact in the event of an emergency.

Additionally, the group helps with the logistical needs of the crews that may arise. For example, the office employees handle requests for additional equipment to deal with off-road access or broken electrical testers, tools and grounds. Fleet maintenance personnel are also on call to fix any fleet problems in the field.

Storms provide a good test of the safety and work skills of all the crews. Working long days in uncomfortable and unfamiliar surroundings requires a steady head, good preparation at each site and an understanding of all the hazards. The ability to recognize a change in a situation that requires a change of plan to mitigate a hazard is indispensable. These crews demonstrated the value of good safety practices once again.

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Peter Hakkila (phakkila@ontargetservices.com) is the pole set supervisor for On Target Utility Services. He set poles for 28 years and became a supervisor four years ago.

Ed Godin (egodin@ontargetservices.com) is a superintendent for On Target.