• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

York Electric Cooperative, Inc.

  • Rural Internet
    • Service Area
  • View / Pay Bill
    • Quick Pay
    • Register
    • Forgot Password?
  • Outages
    • Outage Map
    • Outage Center
      • PowerTouch
      • Outage Texting
      • Mobile App
    • Storm Center
      • Storm Preparation
        • Hurricane Readiness
        • Generator Safety
      • After the Storm
      • Submit Photos
    • Restoring Power
  • Member Services
    • Contact Us
    • Forms & Publications
    • Office Locations
    • Report an Outage
    • Report an Outdoor Light Outage
    • Update Account Information
    • Report Energy Theft/Tampering
    • Safety Demonstration Request
    • Media Contacts
    • FAQ
  • More results...

    Generic selectors
    Exact matches only
    Search in title
    Search in content
    Post Type Selectors
    Search in posts
    Search in pages
Skip NavigationMenu
  • My Service
    • Close
    • New Members
      • Start Residential Electric Service
      • Welcome to YEC
    • Billing
    • Meter Locations
    • Peak Demand
    • Outdoor Lighting
      • Outdoor Lighting Info Request
      • Report Outdoor Lighting Outage
    • Underground Service
    • Forms & Publications
    • My Business
      • Start Residential Electric Service
    • Close
  • My Community
    • Close
    • Scholarships & Events
    • Bright Ideas Grant
    • Learn with YEC
      • Learn With Art
        • Co-op Magnet Design Challenge
        • Gear up for Safety Coloring Contest
      • Safety Videos
      • Soft Skills
      • Energy Glossary
    • Safety Demonstration Request
    • Operation Round Up®
      • Operation Round Up Application
      • Disposition Statement
    • The Burrell Foundation
    • Economic Development
      • Affiliations
      • East York Industrial Park
    • South Carolina Living
    • Submit Photos
    • Co-op Connections®
      • All Discounts
      • Co-op Connections for Businesses
        • Business Contract & Application
    • Close
  • My Cooperative
    • Close
    • Annual Meeting
    • Support Your Co-op
    • Contact Us
      • Report an Outage
      • Report an Outdoor Light Outage
      • Outdoor Lighting Info Request
      • Report Energy Theft/Tampering
      • Media Contacts
    • Office Locations & Contacts
    • Service Area
    • Member Survey
    • Capital Credits
      • Unclaimed Checks Searchable Database
    • Leadership Team
      • Board of Trustees
      • Board Meetings
    • Careers
      • Employment Application
      • Statement of Nondiscrimination
    • Meeting Room Facility
    • History
      • 75th Anniversary 2016
      • What is a Co-op
    • Rules & Regulations
      • Bylaws
    • South Carolina Living
    • Close
  • Energy Services
    • Close
    • Electric Vehicles
      • Choose EV
      • Electric Vehicle Survey
    • Smart Thermostat Program
      • Smart Thermostat Offer
      • Enroll a Smart Thermostat
    • Solar
      • What is Solar?
      • Rooftop Solar
      • Community Solar Farm
        • Solar Farm FAQ
      • Solar Advisory Program
        • Solar Interest Form
        • Solar Interconnect Application
    • Energy Efficiency
      • 101 Energy Tips
      • Spring & Summer
      • Fall & Winter
      • Energy Calculators
      • Energy Smart SC
      • Home Energy Saver Adventure
      • Shop Smart Solutions
      • Together We Save
      • How-To Videos
      • EnergyWorks Home Tour
      • Appliances & Insulation
    • Green Power
      • Green Power Sign Up
    • Dual Fuel Heat Pump Rebate
    • Energy Audits
    • Federal Tax Credits
    • Agricultural Energy Audit
    • Generator Program
      • Generator Program Application
    • Energy Standards
    • Close
  • Safety
    • Close
    • Learning with YEC Safety Videos
    • Safety Demonstrations
      • Safety Demonstration Request
    • Indoor Safety
    • Outdoor Safety
    • Generator Safety
    • Overloads
    • Shock Hazards
    • Outlets
    • Water Danger
    • Overhead Lines
    • Energy Glossary
    • SafeElectricity.org
    • Close
  • Reliability
    • Close
    • Right of Way Maintenance
      • Schedule
      • Trade a Tree
    • Close
  • News
    • Close
    • COVID-19 Information
    • YEC News
    • e-News
    • South Carolina Living
    • Media Contacts
    • Close
  • COVID-19 Resources
    • Close
    • Stay Plus
      • SC Stay Plus FAQ
    • Close
You are here: Home / News & Announcements / Storm views from our boots on the ground

June 29, 2020

Storm views from our boots on the ground

YEC employees work together as a team to get the lights back on. To give you a glimpse of what it looks like from those working on the lines, we interviewed five operations department employees. Although their job titles, skills and years of experience are different, they all have a common goal to look out for you—our valuable members.

YEC Storm Crew
Contractor Coordinator Michael Hill (left), Substation Specialist Zack Smith and Lineman Brandon Fite discuss how they prepare for storms and their motivation to get the lights back on.

Zack Smith, Michael Hill, Brandon Fite, Tommy Huffstetler and Matt Craven all emphasize the importance of being prepared to stay safe and focused during storm work. When asked, all of them discuss keeping their equipment in good shape, stocking their trucks with materials needed to make common repairs, inspecting their personal protective equipment (PPE) to ensure it’s in working order, stocking up on water and snacks and making sure they have spare clothes, especially dry socks.

As far as equipment goes, 11-year employee Michael Hill points out that one of the most useful tools during storm recovery is a chainsaw.

“In a storm, your chainsaw can be your best friend,” Hill says, “so I always make sure it is sharp and running properly.”

Tommy Huffstetler also talks about the necessity of charged batteries and working lights since many outages occur at night.

Just like our employees look out for you, they also look out for each other. Fite, who has only been at YEC for a year, enjoyed working and learning during the last storm.

“It was a great experience,” he says. “I had a great teacher, Matt Craven, leading me and showing me the ropes. I thought it was also great to see how all the guys had the same goal of making sure our members are taken care of and happy.”

That same preparedness also applies on the home front. Smith, a 14-year employee, adds, “When we have the luxury of time to prepare, I will make sure my family is safe, has a plan and is prepared with supplies if needed because, chances are, I won’t be there with them. That helps me focus on my work when the time comes.”

Being prepared helps, but storm recovery is hard work.

“Sometimes it’s tough; you really have to dig deep. Storms can be very physically, mentally and emotionally draining,” says Craven.

While our safety programs and procedures help safeguard our employees against hazards, their real motivation to stay safe lies with being able to go home to their families and helping their neighbors.

Huffstetler says he looks forward to “going home to my family the same way I left them and helping the community in a time of need.”

Craven adds, “We are motivated to always do all that is possible for the member, but we also want to get home safely to our families. My wife and kids are always on my mind, too.”

At the end of the day, they want to get the lights back on—no matter the challenge. Smith says, “For me it’s rewarding to overcome the challenges and help people get back to normal after being without heat, AC, lights, water and so on—possibly for hours or days.”

And it helps to know, as Hill says, “When the lights are on you get to go home to your family.”

They speak for everyone at YEC when they say they want to get the lights back on as soon as possible.

Recent News

  • Santee Cooper class action lawsuit settlement funds to be distributed
  • Here comes the sun
  • An added benefit for members: New location for Annual Meeting

Primary Sidebar

Footer

Member Resources

Online Account Access
Update Account Information
Download YEC Mobile App
Frequently Asked Questions
Billing & Payment Options
Residential Rates
View Outage Map
Forms & Downloads
Tips for lowering your electric bill
Safety & Preparedness

About YEC

Your Cooperative
News & Events
Career Opportunities
Community & Education
Service Area
History
Board of Directors
Trees and Rights of Way
How we restore power
Economic Development

Contact Us

Our Locations
Member Feedback
Report Outdoor Light Outage
Report Electricity Theft
Media Contacts
Member Services: (803) 684-4248
Report an Outage: (866) 374-1234
Outage Texting: 352667
Email

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
Get YEC's free app at the Google Play site Get YEC's free iOS app at the Apple App Store

© 2023 York Electric Cooperative, Inc. | Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy | HIPAA | Bylaws | Accessibility Statement | Sitemap

Contact | 1385 Alexander Love Hwy, York, SC 29745 | Main: (803) 684-4248 | Report Outage: (866) 374-1234 or text: 352667 (prior registration required)

Site by Cooperative Inc.

[ Placeholder content for popup link ] WordPress Download Manager - Best Download Management Plugin