In response to a devastating ice storm that struck parts of Texas, Missouri and Oklahoma, Asplundh Tree Expert Co. dispatched 349 tree trimming crews comprised of over 1,000 individuals to aid in the restoration of power to tens of thousands of homes. Crews from Michigan, Kansas, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Kentucky, Mississippi, South Carolina, Indiana, Texas, Michigan and Illinois have converged to clear debris and assist utilities in the wake of the storm. Utilities to which Asplundh has sent crews include Ameren in Missouri, City Utilities of Springfield, Missouri, Empire District Electric Co. in Missouri, AEP in Oklahoma and LaClede Cooperative in Missouri.

As storms continue to plague the region, Asplundh crews are working in the cold precipitation to help get power to the approximately 69,000 homes still experiencing outages on Thursday. “Our crews will remain on site until the job is done,” said Scott Asplundh, company president. “And we sincerely thank our employees for the sacrifice they are making working in adverse conditions away from their family and loved ones. We would also like to express our gratitude to the utilities who released our crews to help where it is needed most.”

Ice storms cause a great deal of damage to aboveground utilities. Clearing tree debris is just one of the important steps in restoring power to affected homes. However, this work can be dangerous. Personal and public safety must continue to be a major concern. Asplundh’s corporate and regional safety supervisors are conducting daily safety briefings with employees to remind them of the hazards posed by broken trees, downed power lines and flooding.