City of Alachua receives FMEA ‘Restoring Communities Award’
Press release from City of Alachua
ALACHUA, Fla. – The City of Alachua received the 2024 “Restoring Communities Award” from the Florida Municipal Electric Association (FMEA) in January 2025. This award recognized 28 Florida public power utilities for power restoration efforts in their own communities or their mutual aid efforts following hurricanes and other weather- and non-weather-related events.
“These awards follow an incredibly active and destructive hurricane season for Florida, with August’s Hurricane Debby, a Category 1 storm, and back-to-back major Hurricanes Helene and Milton causing widespread power outages within weeks of one another,” an FMEA representative said in a recent press release.
Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida’s Big Bend area on September 26, 2024. As soon as conditions were safe, the City of Alachua Electric Department began restoration efforts for the approximately 1,500 electric customers without power. Within six days, electric crews had restored power to every customer who didn’t have personal property damage preventing them from doing so.
“Last year was a particularly rough hurricane season for Florida,” said Amy Zubaly, FMEA Executive Director. “Millions of people and communities across the state were impacted, some without enough time to recover from the previous storm before the next one hit.”
Just two weeks after Hurricane Helene made landfall (only one week post-power restoration), Hurricane Milton struck Central Florida. The City of Alachua sent four electric line workers – Blake Cox, Kris Kadlec, Andy Lindsey, and Matt Lynn – to Mount Dora to assist in power restoration efforts.
“Despite one of the most powerful hurricane seasons that have impacted the Good Life Community and the state of Florida, none of this would have been possible without an immense group effort, especially including our Electric Department. They are always willing to lend a hand whenever and however they can,” said City of Alachua Manager Mike DaRoza.