When a powerful September 2 storm slammed Rochester, Minnesota with 70‑mile‑per‑hour winds, thousands of homes and businesses were left in the dark. Rochester Public Utilities (RPU) faced a massive outage, but a partnership with the Rochester Police Department turned a daunting task into a swift response.
Police drones locate downed trees and power lines
RPU General Manager Tim McCollough explained on the local radio program RPU Unplugged that law‑enforcement drones were deployed to pinpoint the exact locations where fallen trees and limbs had severed power lines. In the past, RPU crews had to drive through neighborhoods and even walk backyards to find each outage source. The aerial technology dramatically cut down the time needed to identify problem spots, allowing crews to focus on repairs rather than search.
Outages affected almost 11,000 customers
McCollough reported that the storm knocked out power for nearly 11,000 RPU customers. Most customers had their service restored by the afternoon of September 2, but a portion of residents endured additional hours without electricity. The rapid drone‑assisted assessments helped prioritize the most critical repairs and reduced overall downtime.
Improving communication and future readiness
The storm also overwhelmed RPU’s outage‑reporting system, creating frustration for customers trying to report outages and learn restoration timelines. McCollough said RPU is reviewing its response protocols and will enhance communication with customers during future mass‑outage events.
Advanced meters to further speed response
Looking ahead, RPU is rolling out advanced electric meters across its service area. These smart meters will instantly identify which customers are without power, giving crews real‑time data and further accelerating repair efforts. McCollough emphasized that the new meters, combined with tools like police drones, will make Rochester’s utility infrastructure more resilient.
Community collaboration in action
The successful use of police drones underscores the value of cooperation between local agencies. By leveraging existing resources, Rochester demonstrated how a community can respond efficiently to emergencies while minimizing inconvenience for families and businesses. Residents can feel confident that their public‑safety partners are ready to protect both safety and essential services.
For a full recording of the interview with Tim McCollough, listeners can follow the link provided by KROC‑AM News.
Original reporting: News Talk 1340 KROC-AM – News and Talk – Rochester News Radio — read the source article.
