In the aftermath of a fatal tornado in Mayfield, Kentucky, Mayfield Electric & Water Systems navigated devastation and outages. This audio story, "Reflecting on a Tragic Night and Reslient Recovery," is part of T&D World's In Case You Missed It series.
In the narrated version of the article, General Superintendent Marty T. Ivy shares how his utility was able to swiftly respond after a tornado with wind speeds reaching up to 190 miles per hour demolished nearly 500 homes, killed 22 people, knocked out power to most residents and caused $45 million of damage to the town.
"The aftermath of the tornado was bleak, but also demonstrated pride for the line crews and the volunteers who swarmed the town," says Ivy in his story.
The utility credits its rapid response to its partnership with Xylem and its FlexNet communications network, its existing emergency response plan and mutual aid from others in the utility industry. Three days after the tornado, the utility's crew members increased by five times with everyone from lineworkers to vendors to complete strangers pitching in.
To listen to the episode and hear other audio stories in the ICYMI series, go to the Line Life Podcast channel on Podbean.
To read the online story, published in the March 2024 field-focused Electric Utility Operations section of T&D World magazine, click here.
