Today, 12 lineworkers from OUC—The Reliable One will make their way toward Lafayette, Louisiana, to assist with power restoration efforts in the wake of Hurricane Ida. OUC’s convoy will depart Orlando around 8 a.m., lodge in the Florida Panhandle overnight, and arrive in Lafayette on Monday.
The deployment is part of the country’s municipal utility mutual aid network, which has been activated as the Category 4 storm heads toward the Louisiana coastline. The crew will assist Lafayette Utilities Systems (LUS), about 135 miles west of New Orleans, with restoration efforts. In 2020, OUC crews assisted LUS twice – after Hurricane Laura on Aug. 27, and after Hurricane Delta on Oct. 9.
The 12 employees volunteered to help with the storm recovery and do not know how long they will be away for their families. They will continue to observe OUC’s COVID-19 precautions, including social distancing, and enhanced safety and sanitization protocols, while on this special duty.
OUC’s storm recovery team includes 11 line technicians – Darin Boatright (Crew Supervisor), Bodie Adkinson, Justin Restituyo, Zachary Brown, Patrick Gullotti, Salvador Magana, Brian Barnett, Greg Fountain, Justin Stanley, Craig Kemp, and Benjamin Sablain – and a fleet mechanic, Alfred Jones.
