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ComEd details rapid pole replacement after April 17 tornado; local volunteers praised
Summary
ComEd's George Gaulrapp told the committee the utility replaced 85 poles in 1.5 days after the April 17 tornado with a rotating crew of 200 trucks and 220 workers; he thanked volunteers, the Fire Department and local businesses for assistance during restoration.
George Gaulrapp, representing ComEd, described the utility's response to the April 17 tornado, saying ComEd "replaced 85 utility poles in 1.5 days with a rotating crew of 200 trucks and 220 people beginning 6pm on that Friday evening." He credited local volunteers, the Fire Department and commercial partners for on-the-ground assistance during outages.
Gaulrapp said crews faced complications in the field but that patience and coordination from the community helped speed restoration. President Steve Buss also recognized local businesses and volunteers — including Katie Quittschreiber of the Lena Brewing Company — for their assistance during the emergency.
Why it matters: rapid utility restoration after storms affects public safety, business operations and timelines for other recovery work; the scale of the response (85 poles, 200 trucks) and cross-agency coordination are notable local data points for emergency planners.
