From left, WAPA crew members Bevron M. Goodwin, Anthoni Gonzalez, Collin G. Brown, Jonathan J. Gonzalez, Roy Freeland, Gerry Simon, Judah B. Alexander, Charles E. Isles Jr., Paul Gumbs, and Juan A. Velez Jr. Photo Credit: WAPA
With Jamaica continuing recovering from Hurricane Melissa, the V.I. Water and Power Authority has sent a second team of lineworkers to support restoration efforts there, while also using the deployment as an opportunity to gather practical lessons that could help strengthen storm response and grid resilience in the U.S. Virgin Islands ahead of the next hurricane season.
WAPA announced that the 10-man crew arrived in Jamaica on Sunday and is prepared to assist with ongoing power restoration and electrical system repairs. The team includes lineworkers from all three islands, along with a senior safety officer who will take part in the field work.
Also in Jamaica are Transmission & Distribution Director Collin Brown and Line Superintendent Paul Gumbs. WAPA said the two officials are there to “observe the field restoration work of the crews” and to “hold discussions with their Jamaican counterparts.”
According to the authority, those discussions “will focus on lessons learned throughout the ongoing restoration…including operational successes, challenges encountered, and strategies for strengthening grid reliance.”
Lemuel Lavinier, WAPA’s Chief Operating Officer of Electric, said the deployment carries value beyond immediate assistance. “This opportunity allows our team not only to lend a helping hand to our Caribbean neighbors, but also to bring valuable insights back to the territory.”
He added, “By learning directly from the extensive restoration efforts underway in Jamaica, we can continue strengthening our own preparedness and response strategies as we approach the upcoming hurricane season,”
WAPA said the team is scheduled to spend the next five weeks assisting Jamaican energy workers and other regional counterparts.
The authority also said customers in the Virgin Islands should not expect any impact on local readiness, assuring the public that operational preparedness at home will not be compromised during the deployment.
“WAPA’s continued support reflects the strong spirit of regional cooperation among Caribbean utilities when communities face major disasters,” the utility company declared.
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