Disaster Assistance

FEMA has asked us to share the following with anyone affected by the May 1 storm...

HOW DO I APPLY FOR DISASTER ASSISTANCE?

Apply at www.DisasterAssistance.gov
Call 1-800-621-FEMA (3362)
Help is available in most languages
The TTY number is 1-800-462-7585

When you apply we will ask for the following information:

The address of your damaged home or apartment.

Names of people living in your household.

A description of your disaster damages.

Insurance information.

Your Social Security Number.

A telephone number where we can reach you or leave a message.

An address where you can get mail.

If you want your disaster assistance funds sent directly to your bank, provide the FEMA agent your bank account type, account number and routing number

When you apply, you will be given a FEMA application number. Write down your application number and save it for future reference. You will need the application number whenever you contact FEMA.

Insurance is essential in any recovery process. If you’ve been affected by the disaster, make sure you call your insurance company and file a claim. Only damages that are not covered by insurance can qualify for FEMA disaster assistance. By law we cannot duplicate benefits.

If you move after applying for assistance, be sure to let FEMA know your new address and telephone number(s).This will ensure that all disaster awards get to you without delay.

IMPORTANT:
Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, gender, religion, national origin, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status.

FEMA’s temporary housing assistance and grants for disaster-related medical and dental expenses and funeral and burial expenses do not require individuals to apply for an SBA loan.

However, applicants who receive SBA loan applications must complete and submit them to SBA to be eligible for assistance that covers personal property, vehicle repair or replacement, and moving and storage expenses.

As part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is the organization that acts as coordinator of disaster recovery efforts.

FEMA partners with local, state and other federal agencies to help those who are affected by federally declared disasters and who qualify for temporary financial and/or direct assistance.

FEMA’s Individual & Households Program is one of many elements that may be available for recovery support.

www.fema.gov
1-800-621-3362 or hearing impaired 1-800-462-7585

Air Conditioner Donations

For the past few years, MLGW has given away and installed 200 air conditioners. This year is no exception. MLGW does not select which customers receive the units, rather we rely on partner agencies, MIFA and CSA, to select the customers based on need. They provide the list to MLGW and then we install the units.


Yesterday Customer Service Technicians started delivering the units. There were obstacles to many of the installations: bars on the windows, customers without services, customers who had moved since signing up, and customers without three-prong receptacles made for the 110 voltage window units.

Dump the Pump

The Flyer's Mary Cashiola gives us the scoop on this year's Dump the Pump Day on her In the Bluff blog. It's copied below...

As part of this year's Dump the Pump day, MATA will be offering 7-day passes for $10 from June 14th to 18th. The new unlimited-ride weekly FastPass, started as part of MATA's elimination of its problematic transfer system, usually costs $15.

For persons who are seniors or have disabilities, the weekly pass will cost only $5 during the Dump the Pump celebration.

National Dump the Pump Day encourages people to ride public transportation to save money, protect the environment, and reduce the country's dependence on foreign oil.


"The whole point of the FastPass is to encourage people to ride MATA more," said MATA spokesperson Alison Burton.

As part of its monthly meeting yesterday, MATA board members also approved a $77,000 route scheduling software package from Trapeze. Using current data, the "Blockbuster" software will create the best route scenario, and allows automation of cutting runs and testing alternative scenarios.

"We're doing that manually now," said MATA president William Hudson.

2010 Fishing Rodeo, June 12

Here's some good info on the upcoming Fishing Rodeo sponsored by MLGW thanks to the Germantown News.

A lifetime hunting and fishing license, plus a three-day, two-night vacation to Reelfoot Lake are two of the prizes on the line when the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency plays host to its 2010 Mid-South Junior Fishing Rodeo on June 12 at Johnson Road Park behind Germantown Baptist Church off Poplar Avenue in Germantown.

The rodeo is sponsored by Memphis, Light, Gas & Water and hosted by the Germantown Parks and Recreation Department. Youth ages 6-12 are eligible to fish in this free event. Carl Graham of Corinth, Miss. will donate one of his Hammer Rods to the rodeo champion and will be at the lake to offer young anglers tips on how to catch fish. It's not unusual for TV personality and Hall of Fame angler Bill Dance to show up at the rodeo, which is an off-shoot of the old Mid-South Junior Fishing Rodeo sponsored for more than 50 years by The Commercial Appeal.

Dave Rizzuto, Region 1 fisheries biologist for the TWRA, said the park's lake will be stocked with 1,500 to 1,800 pounds of catfish weighing up to four pounds.

Prizes will be awarded to the youth in each age group (6-8 or 9-12) with the most points (point total will be assigned to each species of fish and the child with the most points will be the winner). Also, prizes will be drawn throughout the rodeo from registration forms.

All Tennessee participants will be eligible to win a lifetime hunting and fishing license. The winner will be drawn from the registration forms.

Also, the Grand Champion, along with his or her immediate family, will earn a vacation trip to Blue Bank Resort on Reelfoot Lake.

On-site registration will be from 7-9 a.m. on June 12 with fishing from 9-11 a.m. Check-out is 11 a.m.

For additional information contact the TWRA Region 1 office in Jackson at (800) 372-3928 or the Germantown Parks and Recreation at 757-7375.

Thoughts on Biking to Work

I rode my bike to work on Friday in honor of National Bike to Work day. I had done a test ride on Sunday and mapped out my 5 mile course. I found that traffic was way different on Friday than it was on Sunday, but I made it to work just fine. Everyone asked how sweaty I got. It was kind of cloudy and windy, but I did manage to work up a decent enough sweat to change my shirt when I got to work. (I am pretty active, so riding my bike wasn't too physically taxing, I attribute the sweat mostly to the weather.) Also I should add that I don't wear make up or fuss with my hair, so I didn't care much about that. I did get a nice helmet head though and my face felt like it was coated in dust.

It took me about 45 minutes to get to work, rather than my usual 15-20. However, I did get to see some birds up close, smell a giant hydrangea bush, make eye contact with and smile at several drivers and pedestrians. My favorite was a man near LeBonheur who put his thumb out like he was going to hitch a ride from me.

Once at work, it was cool not having to worry about parking. The guard told me to bring my bike up to my office since we don't have any bike racks. I definitely raised a lot of awareness of Bike to Work day by hauling mine up the elevator, through the halls, and having it parked next to my desk!

I really liked having it when it was time to go to the expo at Court Square. I just zipped right over. And when it was over, I zipped right back.

When it was time to go home, I had to give myself a little pep talk. I was tired and not looking forward to the "long" ride home in Friday afternoon traffic. I decided to take a new route--actually one of two official bike routes from Downtown to Midtown that I learned of at the expo--North Parkway to Bellevue to Overton Park.

North Parkway, despite being nice and wide, is very trafficky. So much so that I opted to ride on the sidewalk rather than the street. (I also learned at the expo that the ordinances were recently changed to allow bikes on sidewalks as long as they yield to pedestrians.) The sidewalks on North Parkway are actually pretty nice until you pass Danny Thomas. Then it got crazy bumpy and I feared my little lunch sack would fly out of my basket.

Once I cut over to Bellevue and then Overton Park, everything was smooth sailing. I think the best part of my ride home was the big whiff of Cozy Corner that I got midway.

Now, the big question. Would I do it again? I think so. Maybe not everyday, but I'd like to try once a week. Probably not on Friday though.

For those of you who don't have bikes, you can rent them at Mud Island. It's a fun place to ride and it will give you an idea of what it would be like to have your own bike. My bike is a beach cruiser which means it has a big seat and peddle brakes like a kid's bike. It's fun and easy to ride, but I think the lack of gears may make me a little slower than someone on a moutain or street bike.

Based on this calculator everyday that I ride my bike I save $4.44. That's $22.20 per week and $88.80 a month!

MLGW Techs Learn to Spot Child Abuse

This aired on Channel 3 yesterday. Transcript below.

 

The job of an MLGW technician goes far beyond fixing gas leaks and power outages.

They are the eyes and ears that spot burglaries and other crimes in our community. Now they are on the look out for child abuse.

"They average from 20-25 houses that they go in each day," said Shelby Glore from MLGW.

Glore was a field tech for years and says the nearly 200 field technicians see a lot each day.

"He went to the house and when he got there the oldest child in the house he figured was about 7 years old," said Glore said about a story he heard from another field technician regarding kids being left alone at home.

From neglect, physical and even sexual abuse, The Memphis Child Advocacy Center has paired up with MLGW to know how to spot it.

And it's not just cuts and bruises.

"Maybe even inappropriate conversations that someone might be having with a child or even the yelling and degrading of a child," said Keita Cooley from the Memphis Child Advocacy Center.

This whole training came about right after three year-old Laderon Dunn and 2-year-old Catereon Dunn died in a house fire after they were left at home alone.

News Channel 3 opened a child abuse hotline just days later.

Among many calls received, a cable technician was concerned he might have seen abuse in a home he visited earlier that day.

That call inspired News Channel 3 management to arrange training with the Memphis Child Advocacy Center and Memphis Light Gas and Water.

The result is more than 200 people now know how to spot abuse when they see it and just how to report it.

"We are in hopes of maybe even going to Comcast and pest control, lawn, anybody that goes into the home," added Cooley.

Two Birds; One Stone

Exercise and Commute at the Same Time!


This Friday is downtown Memphis' first Bike to Work Day! It is being sponsored by the Center City Commission. There are several meet up spots for Friday if you want to ride to work with a group. There are also lots of events this week and over the weekend in conjunction with National Bike to Work Week. (See the full listing here.)

In addition to riding to work on Friday, I'll be manning the MLGW booth at Court Square on Friday from 11:00-1:30. Ride over and say hi!

You've Got Mail

We've begun mailing our annual Water Quality Report to residential water customers this week following National Drinking Water Week that occurred May 2-8. The report culminates a year of laboratory tests revealing that Memphis water is free of contaminants and safe to drink.

All community water systems are required to prepare and distribute an annual water quality report, also referred to as the Consumer Confidence Report (CCR), according to a 1996 Congressional amendment to the Safe Drinking Water Act. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) prescribe regulations that limit the amount of certain contaminants in water including microbial, inorganic, and organic. Specialists in MLGW’s Water Quality Assurance Laboratory perform numerous tests throughout the year to monitor such components of Memphis’ water. The 2009 test results reveal our water to be well within the designated limits, and meeting or exceeding all water quality standards set by the EPA and TDEC.

To learn more about National Drinking Water Week, visit www.awwa.org. For an online copy of MLGW’s Water Quality Report, visit www.mlgw.com.

Smart Grid Deadline Tomorrow

If you want to be a part of our Smart Grid demonstration project, sign up here!

Thanks to Mary Cashiola for covering our Smart Grid initiative in her Flyer column this week...

Electric Slide
MGLW plans to put Smart Grid meters in 1,000 homes as part of a demonstration project.

Cooper-Young resident Chad Ahren says he's always thinking about the little things he can do for the environment. He recycles, uses canvas bags at the grocery store, and recently volunteered for a new smart meter from MLGW.

"If the city can encourage people to use power at certain times, I'm all for that," Ahren says. "As a family, we can learn what the best times are to use energy and save some money, but that's just a bonus for me."

As part of a three-year demonstration project, MLGW plans to choose 1,000 volunteer residential customers for new smart meters. With the meters, MLGW will be able to evaluate the utility's peak hours for energy consumption and then offer customers discounts for off-peak usage...(Read more)

No parking on the dance floor

Join us at the annual Senior Expo
May 12, 2010
9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

The event will feature a MLGW booth stocked with energy saving information, a Plink-O game, and excellent prizes. There's also plenty of other vendors, music, interactive exhibits, stage programs, concessions and a tea dance!

Agricenter International, 7777 Walnut Grove, Memphis TN

Memphis Curb Day

Have you heard about Memphis Curb Day? On May 15, 2010 Memphians are encouraged to unclutter their homes by bringing to the curbs durable goods that are safe, legal, and valuable to others.

At the same time, people will be driving, riding, or walking around picking up those items to reuse. It will supplement resources like ReUseIt*, Craig's List, eBay, and second-hand stores. Reusing items not only cuts down on goods in landfills, but also helps reduce the strain on our natural resources by keeping useable items in circulation.

Curb Day will reduce the human footprint on the Earth by promoting conservation, good stewardship, and providing an opportunity for individuals in Memphis and surrounding communities to take action. Items don't have to be in pristine condition, and in some cases can be non-working. People tinker with the odd appliance, refinish furniture, or need a part to make something work and these can be located during Curb Day. It also provides the opportunity for metal scrappers to place items back into the recycle process.

*About Memphis ReUseIt: Memphis ReUseIt is a Yahoo Internet recycling site for the Memphis Metro area with 13,000 Members. Members who have an unneeded item or need an item can post it to the site. The site allows the Members to communicate and place that item back into use. One Rule: everything must be free, legal, and appropriate for all ages.

ReUseIt is a grassroots movement managed by volunteers and made up of people interested in keeping good stuff out of landfills.

Contact:: Bill Dickerson, (901) 767-4683, Dickerson888@gmail.com, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MemphisReUseIt/

MLGW Bond Rating Upgraded for Second Time This Year

FitchRatings has upgraded MLGW’s electric bond rating for the second time in six months, giving it the highest possible AAA rating. The electric bond rating joins the water bond rating which also sits with an AAA rank.

The new rankings from Fitch propels MLGW to a nearly unprecedented position, and tells potential investors that investing in MLGW bonds is a safe return on their money, which, in turn, allows the utility to help keep rates low for its customers. MLGW is one of a handful of electric utilities to hold an AAA rating from Fitch. The services rates 200 U.S. public power systems.

“MLGW's AAA bond rating in combination with our very low rates, as announced last week in a survey of 50 utilities, places MLGW in a very enviable position. This is very good news for all MLGW customers,” said MLGW President and CEO Jerry Collins Jr. “The financial management team at MLGW is to be congratulated for their fine stewardship of our ratepayer’s money.”

“We have low debt and that is one of the things that helped us. The lower our debt the more stable the rating companies view you. Especially in times of economic stress, a company that has low debt is in a much stronger position to weather the storm, and the ratings companies closely examine our debt amount, and we have a low amount of debt,” said John McCullough, MLGW’s Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.

The high bond ratings recently helped MLGW save $18 million over the next eight years on an electric bond refinancing.

MLGW Construction Work on Poplar

MLGW crews will begin construction work that affects two intersections along Poplar Avenue—at Yates and at Ridgeway roads—early Saturday morning, May 8.

Crews will close an eastbound lane approaching the intersection of Poplar and Ridgeway. Barricades and signs will narrow traffic starting at the Ridgeway Loop toward Ridgeway after 12a.m. Saturday, May 8. Also, the right westbound curb lane through the intersection at Ridgeway could be closed periodically between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. on weekdays.

In addition, crews will be closing the two eastbound lanes on both sides of the intersection of Poplar and Yates starting at 2 a.m. on Saturday, May 8. Beyond Saturday, May 8, periodic traffic disruption will be kept to a minimum. Further updates will be provided if necessary. We're working to locate gas mains and fiber optic cable and install additional electric services in the area.

Come on in, the Water's Fine...

The flooding Saturday in Memphis has had absolutely no negative impact on the MLGW drinking water system. All 10 MLGW drinking water pumping stations are performing perfectly and we did not lose any pressure during that time.

The water produced at these pumping stations is monitored for quality on a continuous basis and MLGW has not received a single complaint regarding the quality of our water and none is expected. MLGW drinking water is perfectly safe to drink.

Electron Boy

I love this story from the Seattle Times...it involves the local utility participating in a very elaborate wish for the Make a Wish Foundation.

Local boy with cancer turns into a superhero for a day
By Katherine Long








Thursday was shaping up to be just another school day for 13-year-old Erik Martin, but then something extraordinary happened: Spider-Man called.

Spider-Man happens to be one of the few people who knows that Erik, too, has a secret identity” he's Electron Boy, a superhero who fights the powers of evil with light.

And Spider-Man needed Erik's help.

Erik, who is living with liver cancer, has always wanted to be a superhero. On Thursday, the regional chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation granted him that wish with an elaborate event that involved hundreds of volunteers in Bellevue and Seattle.

The local chapter, which serves four states, grants more than 300 wishes every year to children with life-threatening medical conditions, but only a few of them involve so many participants.

Pulling off a wish like this one required a big story, and a lot of heart. And so, with a note of panic in his voice, Spider-Man explained the dilemma: "Dr. Dark" and "Blackout Boy" had imprisoned the Seattle Sounders in a locker room at Qwest Field. Only Electron Boy could free them.

Erik got into his red-and-blue superhero costume, and called on the powers of Moonshine Maid, who owns a DeLorean sports car. For good measure, more than 20 motorcycle officers from the Bellevue Police Department and King County and Snohomish sheriff's offices escorted Electron Boy to Seattle... continuing reading over on the Seattle Times website.

Photos courtesy of the Seattle Times

Flood Update

The Commercial Appeal has a nice recap of local flood news in today's paper.

Our friends over at Nashville Electric Service also sent us an update. Their West Service Center, including their West Substation, was flooded and 15 employees had to be rescued from the roof on Sunday. They lost 37 trucks, including 19 bucket trucks, as well as one-third of the materials and tools that their linemen use to restore power.

On the good news front, their outages are down from 42,000 to 3,800 currently. Unfortunately, most of downtown is out and will remain out until at least Friday.

They've been relying heavily on Facebook and Twitter to communicate with their customers, with much success.

Here are a few pictures they sent:







We're keeping everyone in our thoughts and hoping that things return to normal as soon as possible.

MLGW Wants YOU!

Smart Grid Demo Applications Available
Residential customers asked to apply before May 14 deadline

We're seeking residential customers to volunteer for the three-year Smart Grid Demonstration, which will bring advanced electric meters, communications and more detailed energy information to 1,000 households within Shelby County in 2010.

You can live anywhere in Shelby County to participate, provided your area has adequate cellular coverage. If you rent your home, you must have lived in your home at least three years to participate in the project.

MLGW will select 1,000 households at random from volunteer applications.

• Each home will receive a free advanced electric meter—which means no more estimated reads due to weather or property access issues, and no more calling to report a power outage as the meter will communicate directly with MLGW.

• Some homes also will receive a free in-home energy display.

• Participants with Internet access will be able to view information in a new section of MLGW's My Account Web service.

The application deadline is Friday, May 14, 2010. If you are selected, you will be notified by early June. All volunteers are required to participate in MLGW surveys to provide feedback about their experience.

To access the application and learn more about Smart Grid, click here.

Word of the Day: Evapotranspiration

Evapotranspiration: The process by which a plant actively moves and releases water vapor.


Put simply--in addition to providing shade, trees can decrease the surrounding temperature up to 9 degrees through evapotranspiration.

If you have lots of trees around your house, then you are probably already enjoying their evapotranspiratory effects!

Nashville

Thinking of our friends in Nashville, hoping everything gets back to normal soon.



If you’d like to help, consider donating to the relief efforts by the Middle Tennessee chapters of the American Red Cross.

Code Enforcement inspections needed for some MLGW Millington customers

The flooding experienced by approximately 700 MLGW customers in Millington has created damages that require successful inspection by Millington Code Inspection before power can safely be restored. Customers within the boundaries of Big Creek, Highway 51, Navy Road, and Raleigh-Millington can call Millington Code Enforcement at (901) 872-3410 in order to request an inspection. MLGW can restore power to these customers once the property has passed inspection.

While the number of electric outages during this weekend’s severe weather remained relatively low, flooding was an issue for a number of customers in Shelby County, especially Millington. To ensure customer safety, MLGW de-energized an area of Millington on Saturday by request of the Millington Fire Department.

MLGW restored power to about 40,000 of its customers over the weekend, with no more than about 9,800 customers out at any one time. In addition, the storm had no affect on the MLGW drinking water system. All 10 MLGW drinking water pumping stations maintained full operations without interruption.