Unitil met with police, fire, and municipal officials last week to share how the company prepares for and responds to storms and emergencies and to explore ways to strengthen coordination during outages and other incidents affecting electric service.
The session, held at Great Wolf Lodge, offered a behind-the-scenes look into Unitil's emergency preparedness and response procedures, including those for storms and vehicle accidents. Unitil regularly updates its Emergency Response Plan before, during, and after major electrical emergencies and reviews it with local officials annually to go over the tools, programs, and communications strategies used to support a safe and well-coordinated response.
“These reviews are always great refreshers and ensure a coordinated response in the event of emergencies," said Lunenburg Fire Chief Patrick Sullivan.
Unitil Business Resiliency and Compliance Manager Jacklyn Munguia said the company uses several forecasters that identify specific weather risks every day for the four towns the company serves. In the event of forecasted severe weather, it can secure additional resources in advance. Munguia also highlighted an app that allows fire and police to upload images of damage to poles and wires, which assists Unitil in securing the needed equipment quickly.
The company reviewed its vegetation management program, which improves the system's storm resilience. For 2024, the project included 81 miles of tree trimming, with 443 hazardous trees removed in Fitchburg and Lunenburg. In 2025, 78 miles of trimming are planned along with the removal of 400 trees in Fitchburg and Townsend. An enhanced Storm Resiliency Program also does ground-to-sky pruning in designated areas.
The meeting also included a review of how outages are prioritized, with public safety and critical services being the top priority, followed by repairs that restore the largest number of customers. The session reinforced the value of strong coordination between Unitil and local partners to ensure an effective response during emergencies.
“These meetings are a great opportunity to connect with first responders in a quiet moment and reconnect,” Unitil External Affairs Director Alec O’Meara said. “We so appreciate all who take the time to meet with us at these events so we can work together as seamlessly as possible when the next storm comes to help keep the public safe.”
