It was just another day at the office UNTIL a business owner looked out his office window and saw an Osprey swinging upside down, its foot caught in its nest on top of a power pole! The business owner immediately called his Tampa Electric account manager for help.
With years of avian rescues under their belt, Tampa Electric’s dispatchers sprang into action. Line Supervisor Bobby Hook was first on the scene. As other crews arrived, they immediately de-energized the power lines and scurried up the power pole to secure a bin to catch the Osprey if it fell. Once everything was in place, crew leader Shawn Lafary had Thomas Flanigan, an apprentice lineman, work to free the Osprey from its mossy entanglement.
Luckily, their plan went off without a hitch! The Osprey fell into the storage bin to recover from its exhausting ordeal. As the crew tried to put a blanket over the bird to keep it calm so they could transport it to the ground, the Osprey jumped up and flew off to rest in a pine tree across the street. To ensure the bird was safe and didn’t require medical attention, the crew stayed with the bird for about 30 minutes.
Jerry Adams, environmental compliance coordinator for Tampa Electric, says, “Our line personnel and dispatchers did an excellent job saving this Osprey and many others as part of our Avian Protection Plan. Our crews work hard to keep things safe for all involved.”
At Tampa Electric, our feathered friends are as important to us as they are to you.
Our Avian Protection Plan
Thanks to the abundance of migratory birds, including Ospreys, hawks and other large birds of prey in our area, Tampa Electric was the first utility in Florida to establish an Avian Protection Plan. Our plan works to protect our feathered friends from potential injury or death due to contact with power lines or other equipment.
We’re also a member of the Avian Power Line Interaction Committee, which leads the electric utility industry in protecting avian resources while enhancing reliable energy delivery.
To ensure we’re doing everything we can to keep crew members and birds safe, members of our Avian Protection Plan, line personnel, infrastructure designers and electrical contractors receive avian safety training annually.
Our history of caring
With more than 100 reports and about 5 avian rescues per year, each of Tampa Electric’s six service areas has a dedicated “avian coordinator” responsible for assisting injured birds of prey and discouraging them from nesting on our power poles. As much as we love them, their presence poses a safety risk for themselves and our line workers. Birds that contact power lines can cause power outages and die from being shocked by 13,200 volts of electricity. If we find injured birds, we work closely with the Raptor Center of Tampa Bay and the Owls Nest Sanctuary to rehab the birds back to health.
Safety remains our top priority
Tampa Electric’s extensive Avian Protection Plan covers all transmission and distribution facets—from construction to maintenance. As part of the Plan, our line workers have detailed work instructions and access to an array of equipment, such as insulated wire, cones, cross arms and deflectors, to help protect birds.
“At some point, all of our equipment will be bird and animal-friendly,” says Jerry Adams, environmental compliance coordinator for Tampa Electric. Currently, about 75 percent of our system incorporates protection for birds or other animals. We continuously retrofit our infrastructure to be safe for birds and other animals.
To report bird nesting activity on utility equipment, please call 888-223-0800. Our environmental services department will respond and assist.
