15
June
2021
|
10:01 AM
America/Denver
2021 Monsoon Story Ideas from SRP
Editor's Note:
Here is a list of monsoon-related and timely summer story ideas that can be covered throughout this season.
We will need some advance planning to coordinate the stories.
(Interviews can be available in both English and Spanish).
Thank you for your interest.
- Experience a day-in-the-life of one of our dedicated, hard-working Electrical Line Workers. They work on dangerous power lines and climb up 12-story power poles in the heat and extreme monsoon conditions to keep the lights on for customers when monsoon hits.
- Legacy of linemen – a profile on multi-generational father and son SRP line workers.
- SRP has one of the most highly decorated call centers in the nation. They answer the phones fast, yet take time and care with each customer. Their skills are tested when storms strike. Find out how SRP’s call center gears up for and manages the monsoon.
- Customers can play a part in making sure the lights stay on during monsoon. Front and backyard essentials such as umbrellas, pool toys and shades become projectiles with strong winds and often blow into power lines causing outages and damage from fires and downed lines. Also, mylar balloons should never be released into the air because they also cause outages. SRP experts can do a show-and-tell demonstration.
- The summer heat affects the pocketbook. Help viewers save by showing what can be done to prep their homes to save energy during the summer. SRP energy-efficiency experts will walk reporters through a home to show the best and cheapest ways to prepare it for monsoon. We can be do a demonstration on how to weatherize doors and even build your own shade screens. SRP gurus also will offer a myriad of tips and have low-cost summer saving props as visuals such as smart thermostats, free shade trees, shade-screen samples, weather stripping and more.
- The Gatekeepers: What is a Zanjero? In Spanish, zanjas means irrigation canals. Zanjero means ditch rider. These field workers, whose job dates to the 1800s, have the important task of controlling the flow of water from SRP canals and laterals that keep the desert hydrated. Ride along and experience what it takes to distribute water in the desert. (Historical pictures are available.)
- Check out the tallest bucket truck on SRP’s fleet. The customized Palfinger is tallest of its kind in the U.S. and can reach more than half the length of a football field to repair 500 kilovolt transmission lines from the tightest and most remote of spaces. The mammoth 88,980-pound tool is like no other vehicle in SRP’s fleet and an important part of SRP’s efforts to ensure grid reliability. The “super-sized bucket truck” also allows SRP linemen to do “bare-hand work” on energized 500 kV transmission lines without shutting off power, and it is biodiesel to boot.
- Storm Preparedness Tips: Summer storms can produce potentially hazardous conditions for Valley residents. SRP experts will provide monsoon safety tips and have examples of items that should be on-hand in everyone home. (Spanish information: https://www.misrp.com/safety/electricandwatersafety.aspx.)
- How does power get from SRP’s intricate, state-of-the-art grid into your home? Learn from an SRP troubleshooter, who is the first responder when storms hit and the lights go out. SRP is among the top-ranked utilities in the nation for reliable electric service. (To learn more, https://srpnet.com.)
- Weather balloon forecasting – SRP, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and National Weather Service (NWS) Phoenix meteorologists coordinate to launch weather balloons twice per day during the monsoon. The balloons launch from the roof of SRP’s headquarters in Tempe, where the NOAA/NWS Phoenix office is also located. The entire weather community — local to national — utilize the data to improve forecasts.
- Vegetation Management: SRP routinely trims or removes trees that are near power lines to help prevent unsafe conditions and maintain reliable electric service. Profile how this department boosts storm readiness.
- (This is a very visual story with plenty of water flowing.) People often forget that the Valley once started as all farmlands (historical photos available) and as farmers sold their lands, subdivisions were built using the original/older flood irrigation systems.Those irrigation systems still exist in neighborhoods throughout the Valley. People driving by often wonder what they are, and often times, new residents don’t know how to properly use the flood irrigations system and streets get flooded and water wasted. SRP water gurus can take reporters to a neighborhood for a show-and-tell on how Zanjeros properly distribute water to neighborhood customers; how to properly use private irrigation system in a responsible way; the benefits of flood irrigation to help beautify neighborhoods.SRP offers water irrigation education for individuals and schools, if they call SRP at 602-236-3333.
- Peek behind the curtain of SRP’s command center. SRP’s Distribution Operation Center (DOC) is ground zero when storms strike and thousands are out of power. Meet the people who work around the clock during the chaos to dispatch field crews to restore power.
- Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Make Money: SRP's Investment Recovery Services Program takes to being green to new heights and even generates some greenbacks for the not-for-profit utility by recycling and reselling materials. Come and check out SRP's large warehouse with buckets, shelves and bins full of reusable materials such as computers, elbow fittings, and even a hand washing station. According to the manager the most interesting item they have recycled since launching in 1986 are “two helicopters.” Once, they sold 53 wooden reels to an ASU student, who used them for an art project. Environmental sustainability is very important to SRP and Investment Recovery is just one way SRP is trying make our community more sustainable. By 2035, SRP hopes to divert 75 percent of municipal waste and 95 percent of industrial waste. Click here, to learn more about SRP’s Investment Recovery Services Program or buy some of its recycled materials.
About SRP
SRP is a community-based, not-for-profit public power utility and the largest provider of electricity in the greater Phoenix metropolitan area, serving more than 1 million customers. SRP is also the metropolitan area’s largest supplier of water, delivering about 800,000 acre-feet annually to municipal, urban and agricultural water users.