Mississippi was fortunate to have avoided a hurricane making landfall here again last year. However, long time residents of south Mississippi know that they must never develop a false sense of security, as hurricanes don’t arrive on a set schedule. For the past couple of months, Mississippi Power Company has been reviewing its plans and conducting employee training in preparation for any local hurricane activity this year.

“Hurricanes are natural to our region, we can’t do anything about that,” said company spokesman Kurt Brautigam. “But Mississippi Power can and will be prepared to restore electricity as quickly and safely as possible in the event a storm hits our area this year.”

Storm preparedness is a major task for any utility serving coastal areas. As soon as there is a possibility of a hurricane making landfall on or near the Mississippi Coast, arrangements will be made to move equipment and material into the field. Additional line crews and tree trimmers from other companies will be called on and mobilized, if necessary, and sources of food and lodging to accommodate them will have been identified and contacted. Emergency communication procedures for customers, the media and employees will also be put into effect.

“If a storm comes our way, our first priority is to ensure the safety of our customers, employees and the electric system before and during the storm,” said Brautigam. “Once the storm passes, that’s when we’ll see the results of all our planning and preparations. The bottom line then is to restore electricity to all customers who are able to receive it as quickly and safely as possible.”

When a storm enters the Gulf of Mexico, designated MPC employees report to the company’s storm center in Gulfport to track its predicted path. Once a storm emergency is declared, all restoration efforts are coordinated from the center. If a storm actually makes landfall in Mississippi, all MPC employees play a role in restoring service to customers.

“The first thing we do after a storm passes is determine the scope of damage and what’s necessary to repair it,” Brautigam said. “The important thing is to work our plan by prioritizing needs and matching them with all available resources.

“Customers may not see hundreds of bucket trucks hit the streets the first hour or so after the storm, but when workers do go out shortly thereafter, they’ll be coordinated to restore service to as many customers possible as quickly as possible.”

Every employee has a specific storm assignment. In addition to those employees working in the field or overseeing outside crews, other personnel answer telephones, handle logistics, and prepare and serve meals if necessary.

“We’ll also have additional communications people available to ensure that customers are aware of what we’re doing and how it effects them,” said Brautigam. “We understand that getting the lights back on is probably one of the biggest morale boosters for all of us putting our lives back together after a storm.

“Hurricanes are part of the history of our region and they are sure to be in our future as well. Because we know the damage they have done in the past, we do everything we can think of to be ready far in advance of any storm.”

Mississippi Power Company, a subsidiary of Southern Company, serves more than 192,000 customers in the 23 counties of Southeast Mississippi.

# # #