Local people: Ben, Supervisor, Field Operations, South
Mar 7, 2024, 18:12 PMServing more than 240 communities throughout Alberta, there’s a lot of opportunity to get to know our customers. But we also want you to get to know us. That’s why we’re excited to continue our look at those who keep the lights on.
Ben has been with FortisAlberta for 14 years. He currently resides in Medicine Hat. In addition to his role at FortisAlberta, Ben knows a thing or two about southern Alberta's agricultural industry as part of a large farming family. This connection to our service territory means that Ben knows what our rural customers need to get the job done and he's committed to ensuring our service remains top-tier for the southern Alberta farming community.
Can you provide an example of the work the crew takes on in their day-to-day?
Our crews build new services and do complex live-line work to keep the power on to as many customers as we can. We know any outage, planned or not, can have a major impact on our customers. It is our job to make sure everyone has the power they need, when they need it. And if something goes wrong, you can bet we're there as soon as possible to fix it.
Can you speak to a unique element of the job that people may not think about right away when considering the work of a FortisAlberta PLT?
People may not know the distance that underground cables reach to deliver electricity to their homes and communities. When a fault occurs underground, it can be very hard to find on cables up to 20 kilometres long.
What are some more notable ways that your work impacts or benefits the community?
When the power goes out, you really realize how dependent we are on electricity. We really do strive to keep power reliable for everyone 24/7. We are also always looking for ways to get out in the community and are a common sight in small town parades. And we love when people come say hi. Our guys are always willing to have a conversation with our customers.
Can you talk about a highlight, success, or key memory from your time at FortisAlberta?
A key memory for me working at FortisAlberta was going from restoring power in the Turks and Caicos after Hurricane Irma to minus 20-degree weather for an emergency restoration in Irvine, Walsh, and then to the Cypress Hills within 48-hours. That was quite a turnaround.
Can you speak to your favourite part of your work?
Connecting people to the grid and having access to the latest equipment and technology.
What would you consider one of the more challenging parts of the job?
I would have to say the most difficult job is working in all manner of weather conditions, sometimes all within the same day! It's tough to prepare for everything all at once.
How does the work of your crew ensure public safety throughout our service area?
We always strive to keep public safety the number one priority. Safety is one of FortisAlberta's key values and it's on our minds every day. If we get a call for wire down or a contact with our facilities, we have technology to isolate sections of line remotely to minimize risk and keep those in the area safe.
In your role, what stands out as a project or service improvement you’ve been a part of putting into practice?
I really enjoyed getting to help the travelling crew with the spaced aerial cable system installation at Tunnel Mountain. Setting poles with a helicopter was a highlight for sure!
What change do you think has impacted or better connected FortisAlberta to our customers?
Our automated technology and the advancement of our outage management system has made a huge difference in the reliability of our services and our ability to restore or prevent outages across our service area.
When you’re not at work, what might your community members find you doing? What are you known for outside of work that might surprise us?
When I am not at work, I enjoy spending time with my family. We like to go to the lake in the summer and the mountains in the winter. I also enjoy spending time at the farm.
