Association of Louisiana Electric Cooperatives’ Post

So engineers…. What can we do now and do better to help the public in our Florida state? Do we have the right mechanisms to advise? Are we advocating for the right policies to ensure widest understanding of current problems and then adoption of appropriate mitigation strategies. #NotJustAnEngineeringProblem https://lnkd.in/gYtQVkw6

A semi-truck collision on US 95 in Nevada, September 17, 2024, was made manageable by the proactive preparation of area fire departments, emergency managers, and the Emergency Preparedness Working Group (EPWG). EPWG grants have delivered over $16.3 million in funds to counties near the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS). EPWG NV participates in the State Emergency Preparedness (SEP) program of the US Department of Energy, a program managed by each state which requires matching funds. (www.energy.gov) The most recent grant prepared the Nye County, Nevada, fire departments with F-500 Encapsulator Agent for each station, and two F-500 EA attack trailers countywide. Quick action by the fire department(s) involved, and the application of F-500 EA kept the required water for the 31,000-pound shipment of lithium-ion batteries and all other combustibles to 5,500 gallons of a 3% F-500 EA solution. The fire was reported shortly after midnight and was fully extinguished within two hours, allowing cleanup to begin. Being prepared and trained helped the fire department(s) and emergency management of Nye County operate in a risk-responsible and fiscally responsible manner, and reducing highway shutdown time. Read more about the incident and the training preparation program here: https://lnkd.in/gUZQmGYY #lithium #ion #battery #fire #f500 #encapsulator #agent #emergency #preparedness #training

Part 2 of the Hurricane series - Evacuation Deciding if/when to evacuate before a Hurricane is tough unless there is a mandatory evacuation order issued. If that happens, please go. First responders face the most risk during severe weather helping people who want to “hunker down”. If there is no mandatory evacuation, you have a decision. For me and my family, everybody but me heads North at least 24 hours before landfall, and I leave if we get an evacuation order. When it’s time to go, go now! That means everything is ready before you have to make that decision. Your bugout bag – plan on three days. Include baby wipes, multiple flashlights, batteries, multiple ways to charge your cell phone, a first aid kit, proof of residency (if your address is not on your driver’s license, get an electric bill for your address in your name, something like that. You may need it to come back home). Get a battery powered radio and find the best channel to listen to for updates. I track 740AM. Remember those four cases of water by the door? Take two with you, leave at least one. Pack a bag of snacks. You might get hungry. Or maybe some tortillas and that frozen taco meat. Check out the evacuation routes around Houston and know which one you will take to get where you want to go. TDEM.texas.gov will show those and shelter locations. Run from the water, hide from the wind. If you are leaving a car behind, move it to the highest point on your property. Fixing tire tracks in your yard is cheaper than replacing a car. Sign up now for alerts from your city. Most will have a text and/or email system that will keep you informed. 

Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) may be coming for Puget Sound residents this summer. During high-risk wildfire conditions, Puget Sound Energy may temporarily shut off power lines in specific areas to proactively prevent wildfires from starting— a last resort to help keep your families and communities safe. Here's what you should know: 📞 PSE will communicate with impacted customers in advance of and during a PSPS. 🔥 PSPS could be used anywhere in PSE’s service area if a combination of dangerous conditions is forecast. However, customers in areas at higher risk for wildfires are more likely to experience PSPS. 💨 PSE will consider PSPS when weather and fire experts forecast dangerous conditions, including strong winds, dry vegetation, and low humidity. 💡 PSE will only restore power when it is safe— after the weather has passed and crews can inspect the impacted power lines and make needed repairs. This could take several days, so be prepared. Want to learn more? Visit https://lnkd.in/gDeA6qKz.

On Friday, Sept. 13, NC State Emergency Management and Mission Continuity will conduct a campuswide WolfAlert emergency drill. Please plan to shelter in place during the drill. Simulating a shelter-in-place emergency notification gives the campus community an opportunity to practice what to do in a real emergency. During the drill, the campus community will be asked to take the following steps: ▪️ Immediately stop classes, work or business operations. ▪️ Seek shelter in a small, interior room. ▪️ Bring everyone into the room; shut the door and lock it, if possible. ▪️ Close and lock all windows. If possible, close the window shades, blinds or curtains. ▪️ Continue monitoring WolfAlert channels for further instructions or the all-clear announcement. Read the full message sent to our campus community for all details: http://ncst.at/jthI50TlWG4

It’s cool to see how even the smallest innovations make such a big difference. These wraps are a perfect example of how valuable advanced safety tech becomes when maintaining stability during a crisis. By minimizing the damage to transmission poles, this invention secures key infrastructure, saving a ton of money on emergency repairs down the line. Are there are any more developments in safety tech that have stood out to you recently? I'd love to hear about them. 👇🏻 #Transmission #TransmissionTech #GridStability #EmergencyPreparedness

This isn't a new concept. FEMA was tracking Waffle House 10+ years ago. This begs the question as to why commercial enterprises seem to have better tracking resources than public utilities? Have to wonder why local and state governments, to include regulatory agencies like Public Utilities Commissions, aren't more insistent on things like transparency, forthrightness, accuracy, etc.? https://lnkd.in/d-RJvraU #PublicSafety

The time for action has never been more important for the world. What an important read from United Aerial Firefighters Association (UAFA). What's written falls in line with many of the discussions and presentations made this week at the Tangent Link Ltd International Aerial Firefighting Conference held in Sacramento. Had our country invested appropriately, even one third of the estimated loss we are about to see in Texas, we may have been set as it relates to having an appropriate aviation response. This isn't the easy button, however its a start. Why is this important? The Congressional Wildfire Commission will be meeting next week in Washington DC to present, discuss, and hand off responsibility for the Commission's recommendations and findings. It will be important for Federal and State Legislators who sit on a wildfire caucus to engage. For the public, and those politicians wanting to make a difference, the opportunity is now. I can think of no one better to speak about this in a political light than Tim Sheehy. AerialFire Magazine https://lnkd.in/g_Yx9Pad

It is essential that the employer/building owner has a rescue policy, plan and equipment in place ready to be deployed as well as the necessary trained and competent personnel to conduct a rescue. When someone does fall people automatically think of calling the emergency services but in reality they might not be able to respond quickly or even have the right equipment to carry out the rescue. In fact it is recommended that the emergency services are NOT relied upon solely to perform the rescue. If someone does fall, the preferred means of rescue is to lower the casualty to a safe place.

🔥 In certain conditions, Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) can be necessary to prevent wildfires caused by electrical infrastructure. We sat down with Vance Taylor from the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services to learn how PSPS can impact our most vulnerable communities. 🔗 Learn more: https://bit.ly/3z0NcUp #EmergencyManagement #AFN #PublicSafety #Utilities #AccessAndFunctionalNeeds