Jeff Oswalt, of the Village of Climax Department of Public Works, is pictured cleaning up tree limbs following the powerful wind storm that moved through the area April 27.
Consumers Energy partners with
two local sites during restoration process
By Bruce Rolfe
A network of collaboration to help the public quickly followed a storm April 27 that produced up to 70 mile per hour winds, left many without power, brought wide-spread property damage, downed wires and blocked multiple roads from fallen trees.
Consumers Energy contacted the Climax-Scotts School District and was allowed to set up a Mobile Command Center in the former C-S Intermediate School parking lot.
The Climax-Scotts American Legion Post #465 allowed Consumers Energy to also use the local Legion Post’s parking lot.
The Village of Climax Department of Public Works was hard at work shortly after the storm moved through the area late in the afternoon and throughout the night, setting up caution cones where wires had fallen, making sure the village water system was functioning properly after the power outage, and clearing large limbs out of village streets that blocked traffic.
A network of collaboration to help the public quickly followed a storm April 27 that produced up to 70 mile per hour winds, left many without power, brought wide-spread property damage, downed wires and blocked multiple roads from fallen trees.
Consumers Energy contacted the Climax-Scotts School District and was allowed to set up a Mobile Command Center in the former C-S Intermediate School parking lot.
The Climax-Scotts American Legion Post #465 allowed Consumers Energy to also use the local Legion Post’s parking lot.
The Village of Climax Department of Public Works was hard at work shortly after the storm moved through the area late in the afternoon and throughout the night, setting up caution cones where wires had fallen, making sure the village water system was functioning properly after the power outage, and clearing large limbs out of village streets that blocked traffic.
Consumers Energy partnered with Climax-Scotts American Legion Post #465 as a location where utility poles were picked up and as a site for super sacks filled with gravel that were used during the utility pole installation process.
CMS Energy & Consumers Energy West Michigan Media Relations Specialist Trisha Bloembergen said Consumers Energy chooses the mobile command center locations based on preplanning information incorporating weather forecasts, local geography, and collaboration with businesses and emergency managers.
Megan D. Kirk, Consumers Energy media relations specialist, Southeast, MI, said the mobile command center was moved once power to the school was restored, however some utility vehicles remained at the Intermediate School parking lot April 29.
Department of Public Works Manager T.J. Gibson said because a large number of utility poles needed to be replaced in the Climax area, Consumers Energy contacted him seeking a location that had a large asphalt parking lot where utility poles and other equipment could be temporarily stored during the restoration process.
Gibson suggested the C-S American Legion. Post Commander Ken Lewman said the Legion is always willing to do anything to support the community and he contacted Legion Adjutant Bobby Poveda, who approved the idea.
Consumers Energy also stored super sacks at the local American Legion, which Kirk said are prefilled with gravel that helps stabilize utility poles once they are replaced.
Gibson said a Consumers Energy employee told him approximately 20 utility poles broke in the Climax area.
A tree that fell across East Maple Street and brought a power line down in the Village of Climax, kept the street closed until about noon April 29. Gibson said Consumers Energy instructed the local DPW staff not to begin removing the tree until a Consumers Energy crew was available to verify the area was safe to begin cleanup.
Gibson said a local tree removal company was called to assist removing four trees that fell in Prairie Home Cemetery and three trees that fell into the road in the Village. The DPW manager said the tree removal company has proper equipment to remove the trees quickly.
Consumers Energy networked with Climax-Scotts Community Schools, setting up a Mobile Command Center at the C-S Intermediate School parking lot.
(Photo courtesy of Village of Climax Department of Public Works Manager T.J. Gibson)
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