LES sends equipment, crews for storm relief after Hurricane Ida

LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) -Lincoln Electric System is deploying staff and vehicles to help utilities in Louisiana with anticipated power restoration efforts due to Hurricane Ida.

Three crews comprised of 14 LES employees are en route to Lafayette, Louisiana, as Hurricane Ida approaches, expected to make landfall as a potential Category 4 storm. In preparation for landfall, utilities in the path are already preparing by prestaging restoration workers and equipment and coordinating preparation and response efforts with their state and local officials.

“Conditions associated with storms of this size have the potential to cause significant damage,” said Paul Crist, LES vice president of Energy Delivery. “Outages are expected, and our crews will work diligently to get power restored quickly and safely. Safety is always top of mind, especially in these types of situations.”

LES crews deployed as the sun rose on Saturday morning, Aug. 28, and are expected to arrive in Lafayette Sunday.

The American Public Power Association is helping to coordinate assistance efforts in the region. More than 2,000 community-owned electric utilities across the country make up the APPA. As a member of the APPA’s mutual aid network, LES is reimbursed for all costs of deploying resources to assist other utilities.