On Friday, September 27, Hurricane Helene swept through our region, leaving a lasting impact. The storm brought heavy rains and powerful winds for hours, toppling trees and causing significant damage. At the height of the storm, around 16,000 BTES customers were without power. We want to reflect on the incredible efforts made by our employees to restore services to our community.
Resilience and Teamwork
From the moment the storm hit, our employees worked tirelessly around the clock. With the support of additional crews from the City of Alcoa Electric Department, Florence Alabama Electricity Department, Huntsville Utilities, Jackson Energy Authority, Loudon Utilities, and Russellville Utilities, we mobilized more than 130 personnel to tackle the extensive damage and support our linemen.
Throughout the restoration process, our team faced numerous challenges. Our crews replaced or made significant repairs to over 80 damaged power poles and dealt with complex terrain, fallen trees, and damaged infrastructure. In fact, the scale of this event was unprecedented, with more poles needing repaired or replaced than in any event in recent memory. Although all power outages were restored by Thursday, October 3, employees continued to work throughout the weekend and into the following week to make repairs to our fiber optic network which also sustained significant damage due to the storm.
Community Support
We appreciate the understanding and patience shown by our customers during this challenging time. We utilized the BTES Facebook page and website to keep our customers updated on a daily basis and our employees are forever grateful for the kind words and support. These encouraging words kept them going, even at the hardest times.
The support we received from our community was incredible. There were many local organizations and businesses that generously donated meals or snacks, employee family members who helped cook and deliver food, and retired BTES employees who came back to lend a hand. This outpouring of kindness and generosity made a significant impact on our recovery efforts, and we are forever grateful to our community for their unwavering support! To see a list of these organizations and businesses, visit our Facebook page.
