American Gas - June 2013 - (Page 26)

hurricane season 2013 Fortunately, our engineers were able to quickly design a restoration plan. Once that information started to flow and we began delivering on our promises, that trust was really solidified. Seven months after Sandy’s landfall, it is clear that that transparency paid off. Not only do we know from anecdotal reports that our customers appreciated the way we handled the crisis, we can see it in the numbers. Though we received the J.D. Power and Associates Business Customer Satisfaction award for our region in both 2011 and 2012, this year we were especially pleased to have once again earned that top spot. Sometimes, if you’re not used to being the center of attention, your first instinct is to hunker down when all eyes are on you. At New Jersey Natural Gas, we didn’t do that. As a result, we came through the worst crisis in our company’s history with a stronger relationship with our customers than ever. A PSE&G worker cleans equipment damaged by Superstorm Sandy’s storm surge at the Madison Substation in Hoboken, N.J. INteGrys The Second Wave By Jennifer Block w hen Superstorm Sandy struck the East Coast, it was the top story among news outlets across the country, and with good reason: at 1,100 miles wide, this “Frankenstorm” caused $75 billion in damage in some of the nation’s most densely populated areas. Less than nine days later, however, the presidential election came, knocking Sandy off the front pages and from the minds of many people in areas not directly affected. But that didn’t mean the people who had been in Sandy’s path no longer needed help. In fact, after more than a week without electric, gas, and phone service, that was quite possibly when many of them needed it most. The first natural gas mutual assistance crews into the hardest-hit areas came from the states closest to the storm zone, such as Maryland and Delaware. For the second wave of assistance, the Northeast Gas Association reached out to distribution companies across the country. That’s when 27 employees of Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas drove from Chicago to New York to live in a tent city for a week while assisting National Grid. Once there, all 27 agreed to remain for another week—which meant missing Thanksgiving with their families. Instead, they spent it in a restaurant with families that had lost their homes and possessions in the storm. A week later, 10 experts from Wisconsin Public Service headed east to support the effort as temperatures turned colder and getting customers reconnected became critical. At a company lunch-and-learn earlier this year, several of those employees spoke about their experience. A common theme: how rewarding it was and how humbled they felt by the outpouring of gratitude from the people they had helped. The natural gas industry has a long history of mutual support. But Superstorm Sandy can serve as a reminder that we should never hesitate to ask for or offer each other help, even when—and, perhaps, especially when—the crisis is no longer making headlines. Mike Schmid is director of Appliance Service Field Operations for PSE&G. W. Fred Kuebler was a public affairs officer in the U.S. Navy for 20 years before becoming director of U.S. Media Relations for National Grid in August 2012. Micah Rasmussen is director of Corporate Communications at New Jersey Resources. Jennifer Block is director of Media Relations for Integrys Energy Group, parent company for Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas in Chicago and Wisconsin Public Service in Green Bay. photos courtesy of pse&G And new Jersey nAturAl GAs 26 AmericAn GAs june 2013

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of American Gas - June 2013

American Gas - June 2013
Contents
President’s Message
Subject Index
Safety: It Takes a Village
Digest
Issues
Update
Need to Know
Need to Know
By the Numbers
Places
On the Market
State House
Elm Street
The Calm Before the Storms
Profile 28
2013 AGA Membership Directory
Jobs
Buyer’s Guide
Marketplace
Headway

American Gas - June 2013