Page 7 - Palm City Spotlight - May '22

Palm City Spotlight, Page 7

In Your Community from page 6

Strengthening The FPL Grid Throughout Florida
Since 2006, FPL has made significant investments to harden
the grid against hurricanes and extreme weather and enhance
day-to-day reliability. Highlights include:
• Replacing wooden transmission structures with new ones
made of steel or concrete
• Hardening main power lines that serve critical community
facilities and services
• Inspecting power poles and strengthening or replacing those
that no longer meet FPL’s industry-leading standards for strength
• Installing more than 195,000 intelligent devices along Martin County Firefighters IAFF Local 2959. Left to right:
the grid to detect and prevent power outages and minimize Scott Risk, Steven Carrasquilla, Frank Russo
restoration times when outages occur
• Conducting daily drone flights (more than 120,000 in 2021) Chris Kearns, Katie Makemson, Scott Risk, Doug Smith, switches and lights that control sounds, and a real emergency
to proactively identify potential areas of concern before an outage Steven Carrasquilla, Pete Satur vehicle flashing light. Opposite the fire truck, children can
occurs and to help us assess damage following severe weather learn to stay low and go by crawling through our simulated
• Maintaining trees and other vegetation along more than smoke-filled tunnel. Sitting on top of the tunnel is a house
25,000 miles of power lines each year to reduce outages and building that are lit in a way that simulates a real fire,
• Placing more neighborhood power lines underground including crackling noises and firefighter radio calls.
through the Storm Secure Underground Pilot Program The purpose of this updated exhibit was to teach the roles of
The improvements continue to benefit customers across FPL’s our community heroes. Katie Makemson, exhibit designer with
service area in many ways. In 2021, the average FPL customer The Children’s Museum of the Treasure Coast, “The passion for
experienced the fewest outages and momentary interruptions or becoming a firefighter sparks at a young age. We wanted future
flickers of any year in company history and the shortest overall community heroes to start their knowledge of fighting fires now!
duration of outages ever. FPL in 2021 won the ReliabilityOne At the top of the truck we’ve included a sign that has questions
®
National Reliability Award for the sixth time in seven years. firefighters have to ask when fighting a fire. Why not start now
Presented by PA Consulting, the award is widely regarded in with the children’s education and get their excitement started?”
the energy industry as one of the most prestigious honors and The Children’s Museum would not have been able to
reinforces FPL’s commitment to provide its more than 5.7 million Future firefighter Jensen Russo with father firefighter Frank complete this exhibit without the help from All About
customers with the nation’s most reliable service. Russo Achieving. Chris Kearns, aka “Washer,” was instrumental in
Florida Power & Light Company taking ideas above and beyond and creating a more immersive
Florida Power & Light Company is the largest vertically exhibit. We are grateful for their help!
integrated rate-regulated electric utility in the U.S. as measured The museum strives to keep the Children’s Museum
by retail electricity produced and sold. The company serves evolving and relevant. The museum continues to grow and
more than 5.7 million customer accounts supporting more flourish each year and we are excited about the exhibits still
than 11 million residents across Florida with clean, reliable to come. If you would like to participate or would like more
and affordable electricity. FPL operates one of the cleanest information about future projects on the horizon, please feel
power generation fleets in the U.S and in 2021 won the free to contact Katie Makemson, project manager at (772)
ReliabilityOne National Reliability Award for the sixth time 225-7575, Ext. 205. We look forward to seeing you playing
®
in the last seven years. The company received the top ranking and learning at the Children’s Museum.
in the southern U.S. among large electric providers, according
to J.D. Power’s 2021 Electric Utility Residential Customer
Satisfaction Study and 2021 Electric Utility Business Customer
SM
SM
Satisfaction Study . The company was also recognized in 2020
as one of the most trusted U.S. electric utilities by Escalent Kenzie Risk and Scarlette Satur
for the seventh consecutive year. FPL is a subsidiary of Juno
Beach, Florida-based NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE),
a clean energy company widely recognized for its efforts in
sustainability, corporate responsibility, ethics and compliance,
and diversity. NextEra Energy is ranked No. 1 in the electric
and gas utilities industry in Fortune’s 2022 list of “World’s Most
Admired Companies” and recognized on Fortune’s 2021 list of
companies that “Change the World.” NextEra Energy is also
the parent company of NextEra Energy Resources, LLC, which,
together with its affiliated entities, is the world’s largest generator
of renewable energy from the wind and sun and a world leader
in battery storage. For more information about NextEra Energy Driver engineer Jensen Russo
companies, visit these websites: www.NextEraEnergy.com, www.
FPL.com, www.NextEraEnergyResources.com. Smith, and museum staff all joined together with their families
New Fire Station Exhibit: for a delicious pancake breakfast and ribbon cutting ceremony.
The youngest attendees were the first to explore and role-play
Learning The Roles For Our in our updated fire station.
The new fire station exhibit is proudly sponsored by the
Local Heroes Martin County Firefighters, IAFF Local 2959. With their
support The Children’s Museum was able to replace the
On Sunday, March 26, The Children’s Museum of the old fire truck with a much more interactive and educational
Treasure Coast opened its newest exhibit; the updated fire station. exhibit. The new exhibit features a modern fire truck with a
Firefighters, Board members, County Commissioner Doug second-story ladder and bucket, a pump panel that includes

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Mary-Beth Zipsir
Agent in Charge

O: (772) 233-4444
www.smartchoicepartnersfl.com

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