First responders, including representatives from local police, fire and emergency management agencies (EMA) throughout southwest Ohio and Northern Kentucky, attended Duke Energy Storm School, an interactive training session on the company’s preparation for and response to severe weather. At the beginning of the program, each EMA was awarded a $5,000 Duke Energy Foundation grant, for a total of $55,000.
“Preparing communities to respond to severe weather impacts takes all of us,” said Amy Spiller, president of Duke Energy Ohio and Kentucky. “Together with our fellow first responders, we are committed to keeping our region resilient. These grants will help provide our partners with the tools and training to handle whatever Mother Nature throws our way.”
About 30 EMA and first responders learned from Duke Energy experts in meteorology, storm preparation and restoration, and grid resiliency to gain an understanding of how the company makes decisions and works collaboratively to safely and quickly restore power after a storm.
“Duke Energy is a crucial and close partner of the Hamilton County EMA,” said Director Nick Crossley. “We appreciate this generous donation and, more importantly learning more about their detailed response plans before, during and after severe weather impacts our communities.”