Jackson EMC Crews Assist in Georgia and Florida Power Restoration

September 10, 2004 Jackson Electric Membership Corporation (EMC) sent two crews of cooperative employees and released an additional 16 contractor crews to help restore power to residents in South Georgia and Florida in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Frances.

The two employee crews, nine employees from Jefferson and eight from Gwinnett, left early Wednesday to help Flint EMC restore power to its members. Service restoration by Georgia's EMCs was completed today, and the crews were released this morning to return home. At the height of the storm, approximately 92,000 EMC customers around the state were without power. Since early Tuesday morning, the EMCs have worked around the clock with local and out-of-state crews from Alabama, Mississippi and North Carolina to restore electricity as quickly and safely as possible.

Two contractor crews from Pike Electric Incorporated were released to assist Central Georgia EMC with service restoration. Four contractor crews from Over & Under General Contractors, four crews from Townsend Tree Service, two crews from Pike Tree Service and four crews from Utility Line Construction Services were released to help Florida residents. About 86 contractors make up the 16 crews.

"Jackson EMC has received assistance from other cooperatives in the past, so we're glad to be able to help our fellow EMCs, as well as Florida residents. The restoration of power is a vital step in returning the community to a more normal way of life and enabling residents to begin the process of repairing storm damage," said Jim Smith, Jackson EMC division manager-engineering & operations.

Contractor crews supplement Jackson EMC's regular employee workforce, handling construction projects and right-of-way clearing. "Release of these contractor crews won't affect new service or repair for Jackson EMC's members," says Smith. "Our crews worked into the night Tuesday to restore service to the more than 12,300 Jackson EMC members whose power was interrupted during Tropical Storm Frances."

Jackson EMC serves more than 180,000 meters in portions of 10 Northeast Georgia Counties with 427 full-time employees.

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