Florida health care providers have honored Gulf Power Company as their “Supporting Member of the Year” for the electric utility’s efforts to restore power quickly to critical medical facilities during the past two hurricane seasons.

The Florida Healthcare Engineering Association cited Gulf Power’s constant communication efforts with its medical customers during hurricane recovery, the quick restoration of power and the utility’s high reliability record during normal weather conditions as reasons for the statewide award.

Gulf Power works with the emergency operation personnel in each county to coordinate priority power restoration to critical customers such as hospitals, police and fire stations and other emergency facilities immediately after a hurricane.

“It’s an honor to be recognized on the state level, particularly from an industry as important as our health care providers,” John Hutchinson, Gulf Power’s general manager of Public Affairs, said. “We thank all of our customers for their patience after a hurricane and we appreciate this support from these critical service providers in our communities.”