Hurricane Irma recovery: Berlin Electric sending team to Florida to help

A team from Berlin’s small electric utility is headed to Florida to help with recovery efforts after the devastation caused there by Hurricane Irma.

The Berlin Electric Utility crew will go to  Clewiston, Florida, for about 10 days to assist with the Hurricane Irma recovery efforts, Mayor Gee Williams announced Tuesday.

"The council and I are grateful to be able to send some of our town’s talented and experienced electric utility crew members to provide much-needed help to the residents of Clewiston,” said Mayor Gee Williams.  

“Three members of Berlin’s electric crew are skilled and ready to go.”

The council unanimously approved a mutual aid agreement with American Public Power Association (APPA) Monday night to enable the utility to provide assistance for storm-ravaged communities in Florida. 

“We needed to have the APPA Agreement in place to be able to recover the costs associated with helping Florida residents,” stated Town Administrator Laura Allen.

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“All of the public electric utilities in Florida are members of APPA and participate in this Mutual Aid Agreement,” she added.  

Berlin’s electric crew is expected to be out of town for about 10 days to restore power and related work in Clewiston.

“While some of our electric utility personnel and equipment is in Florida, we will still have several key staff remaining in Berlin,” said Williams.  

“We have a longstanding Mutual Aid Agreement with Choptank Electric Cooperative, who will be backing up our electric utility employees, if needed, while the three town employees are out of town. Choptank Electric confirmed their availability to back us up, if necessary,” he said.