Vermont Business Magazine As the winds begin to pick up, Green Mountain Power’s storm team has ramped up to respond quickly to any outages. “We’ve already restored power to more than 500 customers (by mid-afternoon Wednesday) and additional outages are picking up,” said Dorothy Schnure, GMP spokesperson. “We have brought in outside contract crews to assist GMP crews so that we can work through the night, if necessary, to restore power quickly for our customers.”
Contract crews will be positioned initially in Rutland, Middlebury and Montpelier so that they can be close to where the winds are projected to be strongest on the western part of the state, while GMP crews will remain in their home district to ensure fast local response. As the storm progresses, they may be sent to harder hit areas. The response team will be supported by contract tree crews.
“Getting the power back on quickly and safely is the most important job we have,” said Schnure. Green Mountain Power reminds people that a downed power line can still be carrying electricity and may be very dangerous. People should stay far away from any downed line and keep children and pets away.
Green Mountain Power will provide updates on Facebook, Twitter and to the media. Customers may report outages and get updates through GMP’s text service or award winning app, as well as calling 1-888-835-4672, or visiting GMP’s Outage Center page at www.greenmountainpower.com.
To sign up for the text service, simply text REG to 46788 or GMPVT, or sign up online at greenmountainpower.com/textalerts. Customers can sign up for GMP’s award winning app at the Apple App Store or Google Play Store and search for GMP.
Green Mountain Power is prepared to restore power if high winds and rain predicted to begin Wednesday afternoon and going through the night cause outages. “We are already working to ensure a speedy response if the high winds materialize,” Schnure said Tuesday. “Our crews are ready and we have ensured that additional contract crews will be available if needed.” High winds can bring down trees into power lines, causing outages and presenting potential safety hazards for the public. Power lines may be live and dangerous, even if on the ground or tangled in trees.
“We urge everyone to stay away from any downed trees and power lines, and make sure to keep children and pets away,” Schnure said. “Our highest priority is keeping crews and the public safe as we work to restore power quickly.”
Source: GMP 10.27,28.2015