Just after sunrise Wednesday morning, three waves of Consumers Energy bucket trucks slowly spilled out of a Kalamazoo hotel parking lot, making a beeline toward an Indiana community in need of help.
After some initial preparations, including a leadership update on the task at hand – and some stretching in the parking lot – 15 crews headed for Gary, In. They were slated to assist with restoration efforts after yet another summer storm.
“Your safety is paramount,” James Slieff, executive director of energy operations, shared across a hotel conference room filled with about 60 crew members. “We need to look out for each other…Be your brother’s keeper.”
While the storm damage was limited in Michigan, our neighbors in Indiana weren’t as fortunate. Our crews made the hours-long trek and met with Indiana lineworkers, got briefed on the extensive damage and executed a plan to restore power as safely and efficiently as possible.
Bill Burns, director of electric operations, west, said despite crews being in storm mode for most of the last 24 days, they responded with their usual focused commitment to assist those in need.
“When it comes to mutual assistance and when we are needed, we always answer the call,” Burns said. “Customers count on us, it’s what we do.”
