Inside the Response Before, During and After Hurricane Ian
By Bill Orlove, APR
May 2023
Hurricane Ian came ashore on Florida’s west coast last year as a Category Four hurricane — the fourth strongest tropical storm to hit the Sunshine State, with maximum sustained winds of 150 mph.
With a workforce of 21,000 personnel, Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) restored power to nearly 2.2 million affected customers within eight days of landfall — a monumental task considering the intensity of the storm and the damage.
“Any time we are not dealing with a storm, we are planning for one,” one of my former colleagues used to say during media interviews.
This is true throughout the company, including our communications team. While tropical storm season starts June 1 and ends Nov. 30, various business units throughout the organization, especially those directly involved with delivering electricity to customers, participate in drills, stockpile equipment, and review plans and processes yearlong to ensure that the company is prepared to restore power to customers safely and quickly.
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Bill Orlove, APR
Bill Orlove, APR, has more than 25 years of experience leading integrated PR campaigns at nonprofit and corporate organizations. He manages generation communications for NextEra Energy, the parent company of Florida Power & Light Company. During emergency situations, he coordinates the media relations team and is a company spokesperson. Email: Bill.Orlove@NextEraEnergy.com.
