When large storms like hurricanes strike, the impact can be immense— leaving communities scrambling to restore basic necessities like water, electricity, gas, and transportation, and disrupting lives for weeks or even months.
Along with reviewing your preparedness plans and safety procedures, it is important to think about how traffic control fits within your storm response execution.
Flagger Force teams are known for being ready for anything! From our 24/7/365 operations services center, our storm response solutions are known to keep you safe and effective with supporting our communities.
What Is Storm Response at Flagger Force?
Storm response at Flagger Force is the ability to provide on-demand short-term traffic control services in unpredictable and emergency storm situations. While many traffic control projects are scheduled in advance, storm response requires flexibility, quick mobilization, and coordination with clients as conditions evolve. We’re not always given much notice—especially for smaller storms—but our commitment to safety and efficiency is steadfast.
For larger storms, such as hurricanes, some clients notify Flagger Force in advance, ensuring traffic control services are in place. In other cases, Flagger Force teams receive requests just before a storm hits. Either way, we are ready to deploy resources to support our clients and the communities we serve.
Who Relies on Flagger Force for Storm Response?
Flagger Force clients span a range of essential industries that require traffic control services during storm response. These include:
- Electric utilities: Responding to downed power lines or restoring power requires safe access to affected areas, and Flagger Force provides the traffic management needed to ensure work can proceed smoothly.
- Gas utilities: Repairing infrastructure damage caused by storms involves closing roads and securing areas for safe restoration efforts.
- Water services: Ensuring the continued flow of clean water is critical, especially during emergencies, and Flagger Force helps create safe environments for repairs and maintenance.
Our ability to work with diverse utilities, each with unique challenges, is a testament to our versatility and commitment to safety.
How Does Storm Response Work at Flagger Force?
Storm response begins with a client call requesting assistance through the Flagger Force Operations Service Center (OSC). The nature of the work—whether its road closures, wire watching, or lane restrictions—varies based on the specific impact of the storm and needs of the client. Flagger Force provides equipment such as Portable Light Towers (PLTs), traffic cones, arrow panels, warning signs, and message boards to always ensure safety and visibility.
Field leadership is proactive, especially when major storms are forecasted. For example, if a hurricane is expected to make landfall in Florida, Flagger Force field leaders in nearby regions begin preparing lists of available team members who can be deployed quickly. This proactive approach allows us to be ready when the storm hits and when our clients need us most.
Roles and Responsibilities During Storm Response
Flagger Force employees play critical roles during storm response periods in ensuring safe and efficient traffic control. Some of the key responsibilities include flagging operations to keep traffic flowing and securing areas during road closures.
Night work is also common during storm response periods, and it requires additional resources and planning. For these situations, we often deploy two Flagger Force trucks and two PLTs to ensure adequate lighting and safety for our clients and crews. This allows utility companies to continue working even after dark, speeding up recovery.
Collaborating With Clients During Storm Response
Effective communication is critical to our storm response services. Before any work begins, Flagger Force team members meet with the client’s team for a Job Safety Discussion (JSD). This pre-job briefing ensures that everyone knows the risks and hazards, the equipment needed, and the work to be conducted. We emphasize safety throughout the process, ensuring our teams and the public are protected.
During the storm response, communication continues around the clock. Usually, we check in with clients every eight hours to assess progress and adjust resources as needed. If changes occur, such as a shift in the storm’s path or a need for additional equipment, we adapt to keep operations running smoothly. Whether it’s through ITZ communications (Flagger Force’s internal communications app), phone calls, or direct updates from our field leadership teams, we make sure that our clients have everything they need to succeed.
Real-Life Storm Response in Action
The Flagger Force storm response capabilities have been tested and proven time and again. For example, during Hurricane Debby, our teams were activated to support traffic control for restoration projects. The positive feedback from clients highlighted our quick response time and professionalism, demonstrating Flagger Force’s value in emergency situations. Similarly, Flagger Force teams played a key role in responding to the impact of Hurricane Ophelia in 2023 and delivering on our promise to provide reliable short-term traffic control services when they’re needed most.
Prioritizing Safety in Storm Conditions
Safety is always a top priority for Flagger Force, and this is especially true during storm response. Our teams undergo enhanced JSDs before work begins, where we discuss the specific risks of the storm, such as downed power lines, flooding, or heavy winds. In addition to traffic control equipment, our crew members come prepared with gear bags containing extra clothes, food, rain gear, and other essentials to stay safe and effective throughout the operation.
Our commitment to safety extends beyond the field. After major storm events, we conduct debriefs to evaluate our performance, discuss client feedback, and identify areas for improvement. This continuous improvement process ensures that we are always refining our approach to storm response, making it safer and more efficient for everyone involved.
The Value of Flagger Force in Storm Response
Flagger Force can respond quickly and effectively during storms, which is critical to our clients and the communities we serve. Our specialized knowledge, commitment to safety, and seamless communication with clients allow us to provide unmatched value during some of the most challenging conditions.
So, whether it’s a minor thunderstorm or a major hurricane, Flagger Force is ready to deliver the traffic control services needed to keep people safe and operations running smoothly.
