"At
FPL, hurricane preparation is now part of our daily operations, every
day we're not in a storm we're preparing for one," said Keith
Hardy, FPL's vice president of Distribution.
Juno
Beach, FL (August 10, 2012) -- On Aug. 24, Florida and the nation
will observe the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Andrew, one of the
most dramatic and devastating natural disasters in modern history.
For those who lived through the storm and witnessed its incredible
destruction first hand, this month is a time of solemn remembrance.
And for everyone across the state of Florida and all along the
Eastern seaboard and the Gulf Coast, Andrew’s anniversary is an
occasion to learn from the past and to recognize the unpredictable
and powerful nature of hurricanes, along with the absolute necessity
of good planning and preparation throughout every hurricane season.
When
Andrew struck just south of Miami, it made landfall with peak
sustained winds of 165 miles per hour, and gusts of up to 175 mph.
Now classified as a rare Category 5, the hurricane pushed a massive
storm surge up Biscayne Bay, and delivered more than 7 inches of rain
along the core of its path. Damages from the storm totaled more than
$25 billion dollars throughout the Bahamas, Florida and the Gulf
states, with thousands of homes lost and many more damaged.
FPL's
storm preparedness and recovery processes were also significantly
challenged by Hurricane Andrew. As crews worked feverishly to restore
power after the storm, FPL developed and perfected some of the
systems now in place to map storm damage and to estimate restoration
times.
“At
FPL, hurricane preparation is now part of our daily operations, every
day we're not in a storm we're preparing for one. On this
anniversary, we urge our customers to prioritize disaster planning
too,” said Keith Hardy, FPL's vice president of Distribution. “We
are always working to help the communities we serve prepare for the
next storm. Every year we make multi-million dollar investments in
our infrastructure to make it more resilient.”
In
the past two decades, advances in technology have changed every step
in the hurricane preparation and recovery process. New forecasting
tools allow for more frequent assessments of a storm’s path and
intensity, and better computer modeling has improved accuracy,
especially on the intensity front. At the same time, technology has
altered the way that information is communicated - before, during and
after a hurricane. Today, storms can be tracked on-line, on mobile
devices, through social media outlets, and of course through
traditional media sources.
“In
the past twenty years, our ability to respond to hurricanes and to
keep our customers informed of our progress has improved dramatically
with the advent of advanced technologies, and FPL is working to bring
new tools to the forefront every day,” said Hardy.
FPL
has harnessed technology to enhance the way that it communicates with
customers before and after hurricanes, and the way that it
pre-positions restoration crews and models the damage to its system
from a storm. To help with preparation, FPL offers customers a wealth
of information and tips on its website, http://www.FPL.com.
After a hurricane, FPL offers constant updates and information about
the power restoration process through its website, which is mobile
friendly, and through Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/insideFPL),
Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/FPLconnect)
and YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/FPL).
FPL’s blog (http://www.FPLblog.com)
is also an important source of news.
Technology
advancements also allow FPL to inform customers about the post-storm
restoration process faster. For example, hours after a storm, a
preliminary restoration estimate is created through computer modeling
based on historical data. It will change as damage reports from the
field are complete, but it’s intended to help customers and
communities make initial plans. At the same time, technology gives
FPL the ability to streamline and shorten the restoration process by
providing real-time location of crews and crew movements through a
super-GPS technology called Restoration Spatial View.
“But
the fact is, while much has changed since Andrew reached our shores,”
said Hardy, “one simple truth remains the same: hurricanes carry
with them a potentially overwhelming destructive power, and when a
major storm hits, power will be interrupted, trees will fall and
water will rise. Floridians must understand this fact and make every
preparation for it.”
To
view photos, please visit: http://www.fpl.com/newsroom
About
Florida Power & Light Company
Florida
Power & Light Company is the largest electric utility in Florida
and one of the largest rate-regulated utilities in the United States.
FPL serves 4.5 million customer accounts in Florida and is a leading
employer in the state with approximately 10,000 employees. The
company consistently outperforms national averages for service
reliability while customer bills are below the national average. A
clean energy leader, FPL has one of the lowest emissions profiles and
one of the leading energy efficiency programs among utilities
nationwide. FPL is a subsidiary of Juno Beach, Fla. - based NextEra
Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE). For more information, visit
http://www.FPL.com.
Media
Contact:
FPL
Media Line
Florida
Power & Light Company
700
Universe Blvd.
Juno
Beach, FL 33408
305-552-3888
