Arkansas Electric Crews Assist in Storm Recovery Across Alabama, Florida

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Crews from the Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas have been deployed to assist in restoring power in parts of Alabama and Florida following storm damage caused by severe weather.

Officials said AECI Utility Solutions, a division of Arkansas Electric Cooperatives, dispatched workers on Thursday, initially placing them in Mississippi. As the storm shifted eastward, the crews proceeded to Dothan, Alabama, early Friday, according to General Foreman Joe Fowler.

“We’re getting power lines up,” Fowler said in an update Friday. “We’ve had several poles we’ve changed out today—I think four or five.”

The lineworkers, Fowler noted, have been working 16-hour shifts to repair infrastructure and help affected communities regain power. However, he acknowledged the importance of pacing themselves during the demanding work. “We know that this is a big storm. We’ve got to pace ourselves, or we’ll work ourselves to where we’re not worn out.”

Fowler described the storm damage in the region as moderate, mentioning significant debris and soggy conditions that have complicated efforts. “Lots of debris—having to work over that,” Fowler said. “And they got lots of rainwater. Everything gets muddy. But Alabama Power has a good system going, and they’re keeping the tree crews in front of us and keeping everything clean to where we can go to work and get the power back on.”

While the timeline for completing the repairs remains unclear, Fowler emphasized their commitment to seeing the work through. “We’re working steady to make sure everything is all on, and we won’t leave till everything is,” he added.

The Alabama Emergency Management Agency reported that some health facilities are operating on generator power as recovery continues. Other Arkansas utility crews were also deployed to Alabama early Friday to contribute to the response efforts.

The Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas join a growing regional effort to address widespread outages caused by the recent storms, with teams working long hours to restore essential services in hard-hit areas.