From brownouts in the summer to hurricanes in the fall to ice storms in the winter, it seems electric utilities never get a media breather. That's fine, their PR execs will tell you - the excitement comes with the territory. And just about all their traditional spokespeople are required to go through some form of media training.
A linesman repairing damage following the Christmas ice storm in the Toronto area. Courtesy The Toronto Star.
A businessperson in Canada writes that his local electric supplier, Hydro One, appears to have taken the practice several steps further down the chain of command. During a recent storm, he said the line crews repairing damage in his neighborhood were so pleasant, compassionate, and forthcoming with information that he could reach only one conclusion: they had to have been media trained.