News Room

ORLANDO – OUC-The Reliable One tested its hurricane response plan Thursday during its annual tabletop drill. Key staff from nearly every area of the utility put OUC’s emergency response plan through its paces in the face of Hurricane Zeus, a mock Category 4 storm that swept directly through Central Florida.

Teams representing departments ranging from power generation, electric distribution and water production to customer service, human resources and logistics responded to Hurricane Zeus and the various crises that the storm posed.

The annual exercise helps OUC and its staff to increase awareness of the plans and procedures, improve communication, clarify roles and responsibilities and identify any areas that require further planning or attention, said Denise Stalls, Vice President of Environmental Affairs who led the drill.
 

“The drill, in conjunction with our regular training and preparation, helps to ensure that OUC is ready to respond quickly and safely no matter what level of storm strikes our area,” Stalls said. “The commitment and dedication of our employees is apparent whether it’s a real storm or a mock exercise such as this one. That’s critical to our success because our response is only as good as our people.”

Throughout hurricane season, OUC maintains its rigorous tree trimming schedule, making sure that trees do not interfere with our power lines. The daily summer storms help to ensure that line crews and operations personnel are at the top of their game when it comes to a safe, speedy response. In addition, OUC already has agreements in place to bring in outside crews if Central Florida were to sustain a direct hit or to send OUC electric and water crews to other areas affected by hurricanes.

For information on how you and your family can prepare for a hurricane, go to www.ouc.com to sign up for OUC’s Storm Center eNews or visit the Storm Center for storm preparedness tips and information about generator safety, tree trimming, power generation and restoration priorities.

Established in 1923 by a special act of the Florida Legislature, OUC—The Reliable One is the second largest municipal utility in Florida. OUC provides electric and water services to more than 254,000 customers in Orlando, St. Cloud and parts of unincorporated Orange and Osceola counties.