ORLANDO, Fla. – On Saturday (Jan. 15), 11 employees of OUC—The Reliable One will begin a 600-mile road trip to High Point, N.C, to assist the city with power restoration efforts in the wake of Winter Storm Izzy. OUC’s convoy will depart Orlando early Saturday morning and will arrive in High Point Saturday afternoon.
The deployment is part of the country’s municipal utility mutual aid network, which has been activated as the major winter storm sweeps through the Midwest, South and East during the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend, bringing snow, ice and wind.
The OUC crew will remain in High Point as long as it’s needed. While there, crew members will observe OUC’s COVID-19 precautions, including social distancing and enhanced safety and sanitization protocols.
This deployment marks the first time OUC has sent a crew to aid a winter storm recovery since 1993. OUC conducted a cold weather drill last year to prepare crews for responding to winter storms.
Led by Spencer Barnes, line supervisor, the team consists of:
- Damon Adkinson, Lead Line Technician
- Michael Atout, Line Tech I
- Zachary Brown, Line Tech II
- Chase Crawford, Line Tech II
- Salvador Magana, Line Tech III
- Jason Reynolds, Lead Line Technician
- Terrance Roberson, Line Tech I
- Holton Stough, Line Tech II
- David Swain, Mechanic
- Charles Wincey, Line Tech II
Barnes, a long-time OUC veteran, is retiring on February 28, and this will be his final deployment. For Barnes, the High Point deployment caps a 35-year career with OUC.
About OUC—The Reliable One
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 about 400,000 accounts in Orlando, St. Cloud and parts of unincorporated Orange and Osceola counties. Visit www.ouc.com to learn more about our commitment to reliability, affordability and sustainability.