♪ ♪ >> WELCOME TO AT ISSUE.

I'M H WAYNE WILSON.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

FLOOD, FLAMES, WIND, SNOW.

IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S HAPPENING MORE OFTEN AND IN WORSE CONDITIONS AS WE GO INTO MORE CLIMATE CHANGE.

FOR EXAMPLE, HURRICANE IDA, $50 BILLION IN DAMAGE.

THE SIXTH MOST COSTLY STORM IN HISTORY.

WE HAD THE WINTER STORM IN SOUTH CENTRAL AMERICA.

THE TEXAS GRID WAS KNOCKED OUT.

THAT WAS $20 BILLION WORTH OF DAMAGE.

HERE IN CENTRAL ILLINOIS, IOWA, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, THE DERECHO OF AUGUST OF 2020 CAUSED $6 BILLION WORTH OF DAMAGE.

THAT AFFECTS COMMUNITIES AND HOW DOES CENTRAL ILLINOIS RESPOND?

WE HAVE REPRESENTATIVES OF THREE ORGANIZATIONS THAT RESPOND TO THOSE KINDS OF NATURAL DISASTERS.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO LYNN RUSKA, LYNN IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE RED CROSS SERVING CENTRAL ILLINOIS, THAT'S AN ORGANIZATION THAT COVERS FROM PEORIA COUNTY TO THE INDIANA BORDER.

>> CORRECT.

>> NOTWITHSTANDING YOU FOR BEING WITH US.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

OSOME OF YOU ARE GOING TO SAY, I KNOW HER.

SHE USED TO BE ON PE OR YA.

SHE IS WITH STATE FARM, THE PUBLIC AFFAIRS SPECIALIST.

THANKS FOR BEING WITH US.

>> GOOD TO BE WITH YOU, H. >> GEORGE IS WITH AM RON ILLINOIS, VICE PRESIDENT OF ELECTRIC OPERATIONS.

GEORGE, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.

>> GLAD TO BE HERE, H. >> THE FIRST QUESTION IS THINK IS WHAT TRIGGERS RESPONSE?

I'LL START WITH GEORGE.

HOW DID AMRON, ILLINOIS, GET NOTIFIED.

USE HURRICANE IDA AS OUR OPENING EXAMPLE.

WHO CALLS WHOM AND HOW DOES THAT ALL WORK?

>> IT'S A FAIRLY SOPHISTICATED PROCESS BUT THE UTILITIES THAT ARE SUBJECT TO HURRICANES IN PARTICULAR ARE LOOKING AT SEVERAL DAYS IN ADVANCE.

THEY KNOW FOUR, FIVE DAYS EVEN A WEEK IN ADVANCE THAT A CERTAIN AREA IS GOING TO GET HIT.

THEY WORK WITH WAS WE CALL MUTUAL ASSISTANCE GROUPS, SIX OR SEVEN ACROSS THE COUNTRY, TO START TO SECURE RESOURCES TO COME TO THEIR LOCATION.

THEY MAY NOT KNOW EXACTLY WHERE IT'S GOING TO HIT BUT THEY KNOW AN AREA CLOSE TO THEM IS GOING TO GET HIT.

WHEN THOSE RESOURCES ARE EXHAUSTED THEY GO ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND START LOOKING FOR RESOURCES.

AMRON DID REQUEST OUR HELP IN THAT PROCESS.

WE HAVE A PORTAL.

WE CAN OFFER THIS MANY RESOURCES AND THAT HOST UTILITY, IN THIS CASE ENTERGY, LOUISIANA, SELECTS THE RESOURCES THEY WANT TO HELP THEM.

>> IT'S YOUR OPTION, THOUGH, IF YOU NIGHED YOUR CREWS HERE IN ILLINOIS, YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO?

>> THAT'S CORRECT.

OFTENTIMES WE MAY BE HAVING OUR OWN ISSUES WITH STORMS OR WHATEVER ELSE.

IT MAY NOT BE A HURRICANE.

IT MAY BE OTHER ISSUES.

WE JUST CAN'T SEND FOLKS.

THAT'S FAIRLY COMMON AS WELL.

BUT SINCE WE KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO NEED RESOURCES AT SOME POINT WE DO WHATEVER WE CAN TO HELP OTHER UTILITIES RESPOND TO THEIR DISASTERS.

>> THE LYNN, THE AMERICAN RED CROSS IS PROBABLY THE MOST RECOGNIZED ORGANIZATION WHEN IT COMES TO RESPONDING TO DISASTERS, HOUSE FIRE OR HURRICANE IDA.

WHO COORDINATES YOUR EFFORTS?

>> WELL, AS A NATIONAL ORGANIZATION WE'RE BEING COORDINATED THROUGHOUT OUR NETWORK OF DIVISIONS AND REGIONS.

FOR A DISASTER THAT WE SEE COMING LIKE A HURRICANE, WE ARE PLANNING AHEAD WITH OUR PARTNERS, COMMUNITY LEADERS, ELECTED OFFICIALS TO IDENTIFY PLACES THAT WE CAN PRE-POSITION VOLUNTEERS AND SUPPLIES AND VEHICLES.

FOR A DISASTER THAT IS UNEXPECTED LIKE A SINGLE FAMILY HOUSE FIRE, OR A TORNADO, WE'RE TYPICALLY CALLED OUT BY THE FIRST RESPONDERS OR THE POLICE, FIRE DEPARTMENT OR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.

>> AND WITH STATE FARM, YOU HAVE AN ESTABLISHED NETWORK ACROSS THE NATION.

DO YOU OPERATE INDEPENDENT LENT OI DOORO WAIT FOR A CERTAIN ORGANIZATION TO SAY, OKAY, INSURANCE CLAIMS CAN NOW COME IN?

>> WE WORK BOTH LOCALLY AND NATIONALLY.

SO WITHIN STATE FARM'S ORGANIZATION OUR CATASTROPHE RESPONSE TEAM IS MONITORING THESE WEATHER DISASTERS AND SYSTEMS AS THEY DEVELOP TO DETERMINE HOW WE MAY NEED TO RESPOND, IF WE'LL NEED TO MOBILIZE OUR TEAM OF DISASTER CLAIMS ADJUSTORS TO BE THOSE BOOTS ON THE GROUNDS, SO TO SPEAK.

BUT ALREADY THERE LOCALLY OF COURSE WE HAVE THAT NETWORK OF 19,000 INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR AGENTS AND THEIR STAFF MEMBERS WHO ARE THE DIRECT POINT OF CONTACT WITH OUR CUSTOMERS.

SO TOGETHER, WE CAN RESPOND AS QUICKLY AS SAFELY AS POSSIBLE TO OUR CUSTOMERS IN NEED.

>> YOU MENTIONED THE WORD SAFELY.

I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM ALL THREE OF YOU.

FOLLOW UP ON THAT.

HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN IT'S SAFE FOR YOUR TEAM TO GO INTO A NATURAL DISASTER AREA?

>> VERY GOOD.

THE FOLKS WHO ARE GOING DOWN TO RESPOND TO A DISASTER, WHETHER IT BE IN THE SITUATION OF HURRICANE IDA OR IN THE COMMUNITY NEXT DOOR IN WASHINGTON AS WE DID WITH THE TORNADOES A FEW YEARS BACK, WE WERE MONITORING THOSE SYSTEMS AHEAD OF TIME AND WE'RE COMMUNICATING CERTAINLY WITH OUR LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL OFFICIALS TO KNOW WHEN IT'S SAFE TO COME IN.

IN THE CASE OF IDA, FOR EXAMPLE, WE MIGHT HAVE A COUPLE OF DAYS' NOTICE TO SEE THAT STORM BREWING AND KNOW, OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE PEOPLE DOWN THERE SO WE'RE GOING TO SEND THEM TO A STAGING AREA A FEW HOURS AWAY STILL SAFELY OUT OF THAT DISASTER ZONE AND WAIT FOR WORD THAT IT IS SAFE TO MOVE IN.

NOW YOU COMBINE THE PANDEMIC WITH THAT AND TECHNOLOGY, YOU HAVE A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS AT PLAY.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE OUR TEAM MEMBERS ARE SAFE SO THEY ARE WEARING MASKS AND SOCIAL DISTANCING AND TAKING COVID PRECAUTIONS INTO ACCOUNT.

THEY ARE USING TECHNOLOGY, VIRTUAL TOOLS LIKE DRONES, TO GO TO PLACES WHERE OUR PEOPLE CAN'T SAFELY GO.

OR THEY ARE ALSO RELYING ON CUSTOMERS TO USE MAYBE THEIR MOBILE APP TO FILE A CLAIM OR THEIR SMART PHONE TO TAKE US INSIDE THEIR HOME TO GET A CLOSER LOOK AT THE DAMAGE IN THEIR PROPERTY BEFORE WE CAN SAFELY ENTER IT OURSELVES.

>> GEORGE, SAFETY IS SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE IMPORTANT FOR ALL ORGANIZATIONS BUT IT SEEMS TO BE PARAMOUNT WHEN IT COMES TO ELECTRIC UTILITY.

>> YES.

THE NATURE OF OUR BUSINESS IS WE'RE DEALING WITH LINES WITH SEVERAL THOUSAND VOLTS OF ENERGY THAT WE HAVE TO ENSURE OUR FOR EXAMPLE ARE TRAINED FOLKS RAILROAD TRAINED TO WARNING AROUND THOSE THINGS AND FOLLOW SAFETY PROCEDURES TO KEEP COWORKERS SAFE.

A BUNCH OF FALLEN TREES TYPICALLY HAS MIXED IN IT POTENTIALLY LIVE POWERLINES SO WE INSPECT THOSE CLOSELY TO MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT SENDING OUR FOLKS INTO AN AREA NOT SAFE, AS WELL AS THE PUBLIC.

WE'LL EVEN STATION PUBLIC SAFETY ADVISE USERS AROUND THE AREAS TO ENSURE THE PUBLIC STAYS AWAY FROM A POTENTIAL SITUATION.

>> YOU WORK CLOSELY WITH POLICE AND FIRE?

>> WE ARE.

WE USED OUR OWN PUBLIC SAFETY ADVISORS SO WE'RE NOT HOLDING UP A POLICEMAN OR FIREMAN THAT HAS A BETTER THING TO DO THAN BABY-SIT A CLUMP OF TREES.

WE MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT LEG FOLKS GET INTO A DANGEROUS SITUATION UNKNOWINGLY.

>> RED CROSS AND SAFETY.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

THE SAFETY OF THE PEOPLE WE'RE SERVING AND THE VOLUNTEERS WE'RE SENDING IN AS OUR FIRST PRIORITY BUT WE'RE WORKING WITH THE LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL OFFICIALS AS WELL AS FIRST RESPONDERS TO LET US KNOW WHEN IT'S SAFE FOR PEOPLE TO GO INTO THE AFFECTED AREAS.

>> OF COURSE WHEN YOU HAVE A NATURAL DISASTER QUITE OFTEN COMMUNICATION IS SKETCHY.

POWERLINES ARE DOWN, CELL TOWERS ARE DOWN.

WHAT KIND OF COORDINATION EXISTS -- LE ME STAR WITH LYNN FIRST, IN TERMS OF MAKING SURE THAT THERE IS COMMUNICATION.

YOU COLLABORATE WITH OTHER AGENCIES I'M SURE, SO HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT THAT WHEN YOU MAY NOT HAVE THE BEST IN CELL SERVICE, ET CETERA?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

WELL, FIRST WE HAVE STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS DEDICATED TO COMMUNICATIONS, MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE COLLECTING AND DISSEMINATING INFORMATION FOR THE AFFECTED COMMUNITIES AS WELL AS THE PEOPLE GOING IN TO RESPOND.

WE USE TECHNOLOGY.

WE USE SATELLITE, AND OUR JUST MAKING AS BEST USE OF TECHNOLOGY AS WE CAN TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR COMMUNICATIONS ARE AS CURRENT AND UP TO DATE AND ACCURATE AS POSSIBLE.

>> GEORGE, YOU MENTIONED YOU WORK WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND POLICE DEPARTMENT IN TERMS OF MAKING SURE THAT MESSAGES GET OUT WITH REGARD TO -- >> YES, ABSOLUTELY.

WHEN IT COMES TO COMMUNICATIONS BEING DOWN AND THAT HAPPENS FREQUENTLY IN A STORM, OBVIOUSLY, WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE TRUCK TO TRUCK WITHOUT ANY ALTERNATE TECHNOLOGY.

WE HAVE THAT ABILITY OURSELVES.

WE RELIED ON THAT FROM TIME TO TIME WHEN CELL TECHNOLOGY IS DOWN.

BUT WHEN WE'RE THE HOST UTILITY FOR A DISASTER OR WE'RE GOING TO ANOTHER UTILITY WE FREQUENTLY GET GUIDES OR SEND GUIDES WITH CREWS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY KNOW WHERE THEY ARE GOING, AND B, THEY CAN COMMUNICATE BACK AND FORTH.

>> THAT'S A GOOD POINT.

WE'LL USE THE WASHINGTON 2013 TORNADO AS THE EXAMPLE.

EAST PEORIA AS WELL.

IF PAR COMES IN OR ANOTHER ORGANIZATION HELPING YOU OUT THEY DON'T KNOW THE PEORIA AREA.

>> THAT'S CORRECT.

WE AGAIN BROUGHT FOLKS IN FROM AS FARR WAY AS LOUISIANA AND FLORIDA TO HELP US AND THEY CERTAINLY DON'T KNOW OUR AREA.

WE WILL SEND SOMEONE THAT DOES KNOW THE AREA WITH THEM TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE IN THE RIGHT SPOT DOING THE RIGHT THING.

>> GOSH, THAT RELATIONSHIP WITH LOCAL FOLKS IS SO IMPORTANT, ISN'T IT?

>> IT IS.

>> I KNOW WITH OUR STATE FARM AGENTS WE WANT TO MAKE A CONNECTION WITH THEM AND THEIR COMMUNITY.

THEY KNOW THEIR COMMUNITY BETTER THAN ANYONE, RIGHT?

SO WE WANT TO REACH OUT TO THEM.

BUT BEYOND THAT, SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE OUR CUSTOMERS CAN GET THE HELP THAT THEY NEED THAT WE CAN TRULY BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR TO THEM, WE NEED COMMUNICATIONS THAT ARE SUPPORTED BY WE MENTIONED SATELLITES.

I KNOW THAT CAME UP EARLIER.

GENERATORS ARE VERY IMPORTANT.

OUR MOBILE RESPONSE TEAM WILL BRING IN A HUGE SEMI THAT HAS AN OFFICE THAT CAN BE SET UP WITHIN A VERY SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME TO CONNECT WITH PEOPLE TO HAVE THAT MOBILE OFFICE RIGHT THERE ON THE GROUND TO MAKE SURE THAT CLAIMS ARE BEING FILED QUICKLY.

I THINK ABOUT TEXAS.

EARLIER THIS YEAR, THE ICE STORM.

IT TOOK OUT SO MUCH POWER AND COMMUNICATION WAS DEEPLY IMPACTED.

WE GET THAT AND SO PEOPLE HAVE TO HAVE A LOT OF PATIENCE WITH US IN A DIFFICULT TIME.

BUT WE'RE PROUD OF HOW WE WERE STILL ABLE TO CONNECT WITH PEOPLE.

THANK GOODNESS FOR TECHNOLOGY, RIGHT?

IF WE DIDN'T HAVE A SMART PHONE TO CONNECT WITH OUR CUSTOMERS MANY TIMES WHERE THEY COULD SHOW US WHAT WAS GOING ON INSIDE THEIR HOME WHERE THEY COULD CLICK ON AN APP TO START THE CLAIMS PROCESS, THANK GOODNESS FOR THAT.

WE DO RELY ON THOSE SIMPLE THINGS THAT WE TAKE FOR GRANTED TO COMMUNICATE WITH PEOPLE AND GOOD OLD FASHIONED JUST COMMUNICATION ONE TO ONE WHEN WE CAN WITH PEOPLE LIKE OUR STATE FARM AGENTS AND TEAM MEMBERS.

>> LYNN, COMMUNICATION CAN BE A LITTLE ABRUPT AND BRUSQUE.

YOU PROBABLY DEAL WITH IT.

STATE FARM MAYBE TO THE SAME EXTENT, BUT YOU'RE DEALING WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE UNDER STRESS.

THEY ARE NOT GOING TO BE SOMETIMES PLIGHT WITH YOUR RED CROSS VOLUNTEERS AND STAFF.

>> WE'RE OFTEN WORKING WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE HAVING THE WORST DAY OF THEIR LIFE.

WE SEE ALL RANGE OF EMOTIONS FROM SHOCK TO FEAR, AND ALL OTHER EMOTIONS THAT CYCLE THROUGH AS THE DAYS OF A DISASTER GO ON.

WE ALSO SEE FOLKS THAT ARE SAD AND WORRIED BUT THAT TURNS TO ANGER AND FRUSTRATION WHEN THEY ARE NOT GETTING THE SERVICE THEY NEED TO START THEIR RECOVERY.

THE AMERICAN RED CROSS ACTUALLY HAS DISASTER MENTAL HEALTH CLINICIANS, VOLUNTEERS WHO ARE THERE FOR THE PEOPLE WE'RE SERVING AND THE VOLUNTEERS WHO ARE SERVING THEM TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE SOMEONE TO TALK TO AND THAT THEY UNDERSTAND THAT THE EMOTIONS ARE VERY NORMAL.

SO HAVING THE RIGHT HELP AND THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME IS REALLY HELPFUL TO PEOPLE COMBATING THOSE EMOTIONS.

>> YOUR CREWS MEET SOME OF THAT SIMILAR STRESS.

>> OH, ABSOLUTELY.

THEY EXPECT IT, FRANKLY, BECAUSE THEY ARE COMING IN TO HELP IN TIMES OF NEED THAT ARE TRULY DISASTROUS.

SO THE CLAIMS TEAM MEMBERS ON THE GROUNDS THERE, THEY HAVE BEEN TRAINED FOR THIS PARTICULAR SITUATION.

THEY KNOW THAT THEY ARE GOING TO MEET WITH VERY ANXIOUS CUSTOMERS WHO ARE DEVASTATED BY LOSING THEIR HOME.

MAYBE BY LOSING A LOVED ONE.

HAVE TO BE PREPARED FOR THAT MENTALLY AND EMOTIONALLY THEMSELVES.

BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE IN A WAY THAT IS EMPATHETIC, THAT IS SINCERE AND CAN GET THE JOB DONE FOR THEM AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

>> DO YOU TRAIN THESE MOBILE UNITS, THE CREW THAT WORKS ON THOSE, DO YOU TRAIN THEM TO HANDLE THOSE KINDS OF SITUATIONS?

>> THOSE STRESSORS?

CERTAINLY.

HAS TO BE PART OF THE TRAINING.

I HAVE NOT HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO PERSONALLY RESPOND WITH A CATASTROPHE TEAM YET, SOMETHING I WOULD LOVE TO DO, BUT IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT MY TEAM IS JUST GOING TO SEND ME OUT ON WITHOUT THE PROPER TRAINING AND THROW ME INTO IT BECAUSE THEY KNOW THAT THIS IS A DIFFICULT SITUATION.

>> AS TO TRAINING FOR THE RED CROSS VOLUNTEERS, I'M SURE THE STAFF IS TRAINED BUT YOU HAVE VOLUNTEERS.

WHAT KIND OF TRAINING REGIMEN IS THERE?

>> WE DO.

WE HAVE A PROTOCOL CALLED PSYCHOLOGICAL -- JUST LOST THE NAME OF T. WE HAVE A COURSE THAT TEACHES PEOPLE HOW TO RECOGNIZE WHEN THEY ARE IN THE STRESSES OF A DISASTER, HELP THEM RECOGNIZE WHAT THEY ARE FEELING IS NORMAL AND CERTAINLY HAVE THEM HELP EACH OTHER IN RECOGNIZING BEST WAYS TO DEAL WITH THEIR EMOTIONS.

SECOND LOGICAL -- CAME BACK TO ME.

IT TEACHES PEOPLE WHAT THEY MIGHT EXPECT TO SEE AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT WHEN THEY DO.

IT'S PREDICTABLE, VERY CHALLENGING FOR PEOPLE GOING THROUGH A SITUATION THEY NEVER ANTICIPATED BEING IN.

>> AS WE MIGHT EXPECT, GEORGE, SAFETY AND TRAINING THAT'S PARAMOUNT IN ILLINOIS.

BUT WHEN YOU GO TO ANOTHER STATE TO HANDLE DISASTER, WHAT KIND OF STANDARDS DO YOU WORK UNDER?

>> WELL, WE USE THE PRINCIPLE IF THE HOST UTILITIES RESTRICTION -- WE ALL HAVE VERY STRINGENT SAFETY ARE STANDARDS WE FOLLOW.

WE FOLLOW THUNDER SHOWERS.

IF OURS ARE STRICTER WE FOLLOW OURS.

WE DON'T WANT SOMEONE GETTING HURT.

WE'RE DEALING WITH EXTREMELY HIGH VOLTAGES AND ONE SIMPLE MISTAKE, ONE BAD ASSUMPTION AND WE COULD END UP WITH A FATALITY.

>> WE MENTIONED THE WORD COLLABORATION EARLIER.

IS THERE AN OVERARCHING ORGANIZATION OR PLAN IN PLACE SO THAT -- BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST AMRON, ILLINOIS, IT'S OTHER UTILITIES GOING DOWN.

IT'S MULTIPLE AGENTS FROM STATE FARM, ET CETERA.

HOW DO YOU COLLABORATE WITH EACH OTHER SO THAT THERE ISN'T DUPLICATION OF EFFORT?

LYNN, WHAT'S THE FIRST STEP?

IS THERE SOMEONE SAYS RED CROSS, DON'T DO THIS ANY MORE?

>> WELL, WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE HERE IN CENTRAL ILLINOIS TO HAVE DISASTER COUNCILS MADE UP OF RESPONDING ORGANIZATIONS, LEADERS OF OUR HOSPITALS AND UNIVERSITIES, COMMUNITY LEADERS, EELECTED OFFICIALS, FIRST RESPONDERS.

THAT WORK TOGETHER THROUGHOUT THE YEAR TO MAKE SURE WE UNDERSTAND WHAT DISASTERS WE AS A COMMUNITY ARE AT RISK FOR.

PLAN THOSE VERY THINGS OF UNDERSTANDING WHAT RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE TO HELP NAVIGATE DUPLICATION AND QUITE HONESTLY IDENTIFY GAPS.

WE ALSO PLAN DRILLS TOGETHER WHERE WE CAN PRACTICE RESPONDING TOGETHER AND HELP IDENTIFY AREAS THAT MIGHT TRIP US UP DURING A REAL DISASTER SO WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE THAT WE HAVE A STRONG NETWORK OF HELPING ORGANIZATIONS THAT WORK TOGETHER IN BLUE SKY.

>> H., WE ACTUALLY USE A SYSTEM CALLED INCIDENT COMMAND STRUCTURE, A MILITARY STRUCTURE THAT MOST UTILITIES USE NOW TO MANAGE A DISASTER.

IT STARTS WITH AN INCIDENT COMMANDER AND THAT PERSON IS IN CHARGE OF THAT DISASTER RESPONSE AND WE SUBDIVIDE RESPONSIBILITIES UNDERNEATH THAT COMMAND STRUCTURE.

SO IT'S A VERY ORGANIZED WAY OF MANAGING THESE THINGS.

PEOPLE HAVE SPECIFIC ROLES LIKE LYNN HERE, WE TRAIN TO THAT THREE OR FOUR TIMES A YEAR.

SO WE UNFORTUNATELY GET A LOT OF PRACTICE AT THIS SO WE'RE REALLY GOOD AT FOLLOWING THAT STRUCTURE.

>> JUST REAL QUICKLY, DOES THE HOST UTILITY GIVE YOU GUIDANCE, THOUGH, I NEED AMRON TO GO HERE?

>> YES.

WE TAKE DIRECTION FROM THAT UTILITY OPERATING UNDER THAT STRUCTURE.

>> THAT TRAINING IS SO IMPORTANT.

YOU HAVE TO PREPARE FOR EVERY TYPE OF SITUATION OUR CATASTROPHE RESPONSE TEAM DOES THAT THROUGH DRILLS IN OUR BUILDINGS, BUT THEN ALSO WHEN IT COMES TO A WEATHER DISASTER, FOR EXAMPLE, WE'RE WATCHING SOMETHING DEVELOP, WE'RE ON CONFERENCE CALLS.

WE'RE PLANNING WHEN WE ARE GOING TO SEND OUR VARIETY OF VEHICLES OUT, WHAT TYPE OF MOBILE RESPONSE UNIT IS GOING TO BE THERE.

THEN WE'RE CERTAINLY USED TO SEEING OUR FRIENDS IN THE UTILITIES AND RED CROSS ON SCENE AND WE COLLABORATE TOGETHER ON SCENE THERE.

WE KNOW WHAT OUR RESPONSIBILITIES ARE TO OUR CUSTOMERS AND WHERE WE CAN'T DIRECTLY MEET THOSE NEEDS WE'LL DONATE DOLLARS TO THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT CAN.

IN THE CASE OF HURRICANE IDA I KNOW WE CONTRIBUTED NEARLY $1 MILLION TO A VARIETY OF ORGANIZATIONS, $400,000 OF WHICH TO THE RED CROSS.

THOSE DOLLARS THEN MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR FEEDING FOLKS, FOR FINDING THEM HOUSING.

BESIDES THE CHECKS THAT OUR INSURANCE TEAM MEMBERS ARE GOING TO WRITE TO PAY FOR DAMAGE TO SOMEONE'S HOME, TO THEIR PERSONAL PROPERTY AND SO ON.

>> AS WE LISTEN TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE THEY INDICATE THAT THERE'S A TREND THAT THE STORMS ARE MORE INTENSE NOW.

THEY MAY NOT BE AS MUCH RAINFALL IN ANY GIVEN YEAR, BUT WHEN IT DOES COME IT COMES IN A VERY INTENSE, SHORT PERIOD OF TIME AND USING IDA AS OUR EXAMPLE AGAIN, GEORGE, YOU WENT DOWN TO LOUISIANA.

THEN IDA JUST KEPT GOING UP TO THE NORTHEAST AND CAUSED INUMERABLE DAMAGE IN TERMS OF FLOODING.

DID THEY CALL AMRON-ILLINOIS, IF SO HOW THIN CAN YOU BE AND STILL SERVE YOUR CLIENTS HERE IN ILLINOIS, YOUR CUSTOMERS?

>> YOU IDENTIFIED OUR PRIMARILY GOALS TO MAKE SURE WE SERVE OUR CUSTOMERS IN ILLINOIS.

THE NUMBERS ARE THIN.

THE NUMBER OF LINEMEN IN THE UNITED STATES IS LIMITED AND WHEN WE HAVE A HURRICANE DAMAGE THAT IDA DID, THOSE FOLKS ARE DOWN THERE FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS WHILE OTHER LOCATIONS WERE GETTING MORE DAMAGE.

THE MODEL WE TRY TO FOLLOW, WE'LL SEND UTILITIES TYPICALLY SENDS RESOURCES TO LOCATIONS MUCH CLOSER.

NEW YORK IS A LONG WAY FROM HERE FOR US TO RESPOND TO, BUT LOUISIANA IS NOT THAT FAR.

SO WE KIND OF WORK IN THAT MODEL.

>> I WANT TO ASK ABOUT HOW COVID HAS AFFECTED ALL THREE OF YOUR ORGANIZATIONS.

GEORGE, IF YOU COULD START US OFF WITH A THUMBNAIL SKETCH OF THE CHANGE PRE-COVID AND POST COVID AND HOW YOU RESPOND TO NATURAL DISASTERS.

>> THE MOST DIFFICULT PART FOR US HAS BEEN THE LOGISTICS OF FEEDING AND BASICALLY FEEDING AND LODGING OUR FOLKS THAT ARE RESPONDING.

PRIOR TO COVID WE USED A LOT OF BUFFET MEALS.

YOU GOT A PLATE, USED THE BIG SPOON TO DISH IT ON YOUR PLATE AND WE TYPICALLY HAD TWO PEOPLE TO A HOTEL ROOM.

JUST BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE THAT MANY HOTEL ROOMS.

COVID CHANGED ALL THAT.

WE TYPICALLY HAVE NOW JUST ONE PERSON IN A HOTEL ROOM.

WE HAVE SINCE SOLVED THE FOOD PROBLEM.

A LOT OF VENDORS NOW SERVE FOOD IN CLAM SHELL STYROFOAM THINGS SO WE'RE NOT SHARING UTENSILS AND THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.

IT WAS A CHALLENGE EARLY ON.

OUR FIRST STORM WE WORKED ON WAS IN LINCOLN.

I STILL REMEMBER THAT BECAUSE THE FIRST COUPLE OF DAYS OUR MEALS CAME FROM HARDY'S AND McDONALD'S BECAUSE WE COULDN'T FIGURE OUT THE FOOD SITUATION.

[LAUGHTER] >> YOU LEARNED THAT REALLY QUICKLY.

>> SAME QUESTION TO YOU.

>> WE HAD TO BECOME VERY FLEXIBLE, VERY QUICKLY.

SO YOU HAVE TO BALANCE THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF YOUR TEAM MEMBERS AND YOUR CUSTOMERS WHILE STILL MEETING YOUR CUSTOMERS' NEEDS.

SO THAT MEANS MASKING AND SOCIAL DISTANCING.

MEETING OUTSIDE IN TENTED AREAS VERSUS INSIDE ONE OF THOSE MOBILE CATASTROPHE UNITS IF POSSIBLE.

IT ALSO MEANS DRIVE-THROUGH FOR CLAIMS FILING.

KEEPING PEOPLE IN THEIR CARS IF POSSIBLE.

AGAIN, RELYING ON TECHNOLOGY.

HAVING OUR CUSTOMERS BEING A PARTNER IN THAT CLAIMS PROCESS USING THEIR SMART PHONES TO SHOW US DAMAGE OR GETTING A BYRD'S EYE VIEW OF DAMAGE USING DRONES TO COME IN AND ACTUALLY HELP IN THE CLAIMS PROCESS TO GO IN THOSE PLACES THAT EITHER ARE NOT SAFE TO GO OR BECAUSE WE DON'T -- ARE NOT SENDING AS MANY PEOPLE OUT DIRECTLY TO MEET WITH SOMEONE FACE TO FACE WHERE WE CAN SAFELY HAVE ONE OF OUR LICENSED PILOTS TAKE A DRONE TO GET THAT CLOSER LOOK.

>> AT THE RED CROSS, CHANGES BROUGHT ON BY THE COVID PANDEMIC.

>> VERY SIMILAR TO OTHERS.

NOT RESPONDING WAS NEVER AN OPTION SO WE HAD TO COME UP QUICKLY FOLLOWING CDC GUIDELINES, MAKING SURE THAT THE PEOPLE WE SERVE WERE SAFE AS WELL AS VOLUNTEERS GOING IN TO SERVE.

IN OUR CASE A LOT OF OUR VOLUNTEER BASE WERE PART OF THE AFFECTED DEMOGRAPHIC OR MOST AT RISK FOR COVID SO SOME CHALLENGES IN TERMS OF HAVING OUR WHOLE VOLUNTEER BASE AVAILABLE TO US.

SIMILARLY, MAKING SURE PEOPLE ARE SAFE BY MAKING BEST USE OF TECHNOLOGY.

BY DOING THINGS VIRTUALLY WHEN POSSIBLE TO LIMITING THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT GO IN IN PERSON AND USING NONCONGREGATE SHELTERS.

>> SEEMS THERE MAY AB SHORT EAJ OF HOTEL ROOMS WHEN YOU'RE DOING ONE PERSON INSTEAD OF TWO.

WITH THAT WE HAVE RUN OUT OF TIME.

WE APPRECIATE THE INPUT YOU HAVE GIVEN US IN TERMS OF HOW CENTRAL ILLINOIS RESPONDS TO NATURAL DISASTERS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH TO LYNN RUSKA, WITH THE AMERICAN RED CROSS ERV SERVING CENTRAL ILLINOIS, GEORGE JUSTICE AND TO GINA MORSE-FISCHER WITH STATE FARM.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ON AT ISSUE.

WE'LL BE BACK WITH THE ANOTHER EDITION OF AT ISSUE, THIS TIME VISITING THE NEW POLICE CHIEF OF BLOOMINGTON AND THE SEASONED POLICE CHIEF OF NORMAL.

ALL ON THE NEXT "AT ISSUE."