002: Winnebago to the Rescue: When Electric Utilities Get Creative During a Crisis

Co-Op Heroes: Stories from Electric Utility Operators

What happens when a hurricane threatens to flood your electric utility's control center and you have just 12 hours to evacuate? For James Tannenberger and his team during Hurricane Rita in 2005, the answer was a 1997 Winnebago converted into a mobile backup operations center.

In this episode, James shares the harrowing story of their 32-hour journey from Houston to Fort Worth – a drive that should have taken 3.5 hours – as 1.5 million people fled Hurricane Rita's path simultaneously. Armed with a mechanically-questionable RV that had previously served as the company's marketing vehicle, James and his colleague faced overheating engines, mysteriously engaging parking brakes, and the challenge of staying awake during stop-and-go traffic that barely reached 20 mph.

Beyond the adventure story, this episode reveals the dedication and "expedition mindset" that drives electric utility workers during crisis situations. James discusses the culture of mutual support that allows utility employees to handle personal responsibilities during normal times while knowing they'll drop everything when the grid needs them.