Marshall County REMC is monitoring the track of Hurricane Irma and preparing to assist in the recovery efforts if needed. The storm is expected to create widespread property damage and power outages.
An estimated 60 Indiana electric cooperative linemen are preparing to assist electric cooperatives in Georgia. These plans may change as additional information about the track of the storm and extent of the damage becomes available.
“We take care of needs at home first, but our crews are eager to help those in need,” said Mark Batman, CEO of Marshall County REMC. “They take tremendous pride in representing Marshall County REMC and the state of Indiana. They represent us well with how hard, professionally and safely they work.”
Because the national network of transmission and distribution infrastructure owned by electric cooperatives has been built to federal standards, line crews from any American electric cooperative can arrive on the scene ready to provide support, secure in their knowledge of the system’s engineering.
“Every cooperative in the Indiana electric cooperative family is an integral part of a state and national network of hundreds of fellow cooperatives,” said Gayvin Strantz, vice president of job training and safety for Indiana Electric Cooperatives. “It is incumbent upon us to work together and help one another in times of disaster, to make sure our power delivery systems are repaired as quickly, safely and cost-effectively as possible.”
The Indiana electric cooperative mutual aid program is coordinated by Indiana Electric Cooperative’s job training and safety department and provides cooperative assistance in service restoration from storms or other events that result in significant power outages.
