FMEA Statement Regarding Florida Public Power Assistance in Preparation for Winter Storm Fern

STATEMENT BY:
Amy Zubaly, Executive Director, Florida Municipal Electric Association 

“More than 200 million people in 35 states are projected to be in the path of Winter Storm Fern, which will begin depositing heavy snow and damaging ice on a swath of more than 2,000 miles of land beginning Friday through Monday. This potentially historic winter storm is expected to cause mass disruption, including widespread and possible long-lasting power outages, particularly from anticipated ice accumulations in parts of the South. 

As Florida’s mutual aid coordinator, the Florida Municipal Electric Association has maintained communication throughout the week with our nationwide network of public power utilities and the American Public Power Association to offer our assistance.

As of right now, more than 185 personnel from 15 Florida public power utilities, both large and small and from all corners of the state, are scheduled to deploy tomorrow and Saturday to states in the Southeast facing potentially significant impacts. At this time, six FMEA member utilities will head to four different South Carolina public power utilities, while crews from nine Florida public power utilities are scheduled to deploy to eight communities served by public power in Georgia. Florida’s mutual aid crews will assist the South Carolina and Georgia utilities with power restoration efforts in areas impacted by the winter storm.

As with all severe weather events, as the path of projected forecast impacts changes, utility crews may be deployed to assist with power restoration in other impacted areas.

This is Florida's largest cold-weather mutual aid deployment to neighboring states in recent years.

Mutual aid agreements enable electric utilities to call on each other for skilled emergency workers and supplies. Public power utilities across the country benefit from the strong network of mutual aid partners through the American Public Power Association. These connections have created a reliable system where member utilities both request and offer assistance when there’s a need. FMEA is proud to serve as the mutual aid coordinator for Florida’s 33 public power utilities.”