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Old 12-29-2017, 02:36 PM
 
440 posts, read 514,152 times
Reputation: 452

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Across the parking lot at 2212 North Dixie Highway use caution as it seems a large truck hit a wood FPL electric utility pole and splintered the pole to the point that the pole is leaning over Dixie Highway with a transformer attached to the pole with live wires attached to the pole.

FPL and the police were called about the problem, which seems to have been caused by a hit and run truck driver as the pole was hit with such force that it's been pulled out of the sidewalk. It looks like the only think that's kept the pole from falling into the street is the support cables anchored into the ground that are normally put in place by FPL to support such poles.

At the point of the time of this post, even though FPL and 911 was called on 12/28/2017, and the broken pole as reported, there have been no street closing or warning signs put up for motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians to use caution in the area where this FPL utility pole with live wires and a transformer on it has been left barely standing.

Of course, citizens of the Fort Lauderdale area, as have other neighboring communities, have for decades asked FPL to put such poles underground because the wires regularly fall off of them during heavy tropical storms and hurricanes and the area experiences days long power outages during 90 degree weather with high humidity such as that which killed several residents in a Broward County nursing home after Hurricane Irma hit the area but FPL repeatedly states it's too expensive to put electrical wires underground, even though it doesn't collect electric fees for all the time power is down and it had to send out emergency crews paid on overtime for weeks on end to repair and restore power after Fort Lauderdale was without power in some areas for up to two weeks after Hurricane Wilma and Hurricane Irma hit us.

These same power outages occurred in communities hit by the same hurricanes around the state on the west coast, the east coast and in central Florida, which are all serviced by FPL. Friends in Key West, where the eye of Hurricane Irma passed just above that island, had power after hurricane Irma before I did in Fort Lauderdale where my power was out for 10 days. Key West is not serviced by FPL.
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Old 01-12-2018, 08:17 PM
 
440 posts, read 514,152 times
Reputation: 452
Default Update on Damaged FPL Electrical Pole

I was riding past the splintered FPL wood pole with the transformer and live electric wires on it and saw a Wilton Manors Code Enforcement car in front of one of the businesses just north of where the smashed in pole is barely standing. This was about a week after I had reported the damaged pole to FPL and called 911 to report the danger of this pole leaning over Dixie Highway with a splintered apart section on the pole at about eye level.

The Code Enforcement officer told me that the City of Wilton Manors is aware of the broken pole as he took the accident report when a truck smashed into it and broke the pole. The officer told me that FPL was notified, someone was sent out to inspect the pole and that the officer was told that FPL feels that the pole is safe and not a public safety hazard, even though the only things holding the pole from falling over onto the street and possibly onto motor vehicles, bicyclists or pedestrians traffic on the street is the support lines on the pole that are anchored into the ground.

Considering that way that I've witnessed so many people who live in this area sticking their heads in the sand and expecting someone else to take care of things here, I don't find it unusual for FPL to think that they can simply allow a public safety hazard to be sitting there next to Dixie Highway and think that they will get away with it.
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Old 01-17-2018, 02:39 PM
 
440 posts, read 514,152 times
Reputation: 452
Default City Manager Working on Issue

I called the office of the City Manager of Wilton Manors today and they informed me that they are in contact with FPL about the splintered apart pole that was caused when a truck ran into it that FPL is deeming safe to have live electrical wires and a transformer on without replacing it.

The City Manager's office agreed that they think the situation with the pole constitutes a public safety hazard and they have sent FPL photos of the pole in an attempt to prove their case and get FPL to replace the pole before it falls over onto Dixie Highway.
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Old 02-28-2018, 04:12 PM
 
440 posts, read 514,152 times
Reputation: 452
Default Still No Action by FPL on Broken Pole

The utility pole at 2212 North Dixie Highway is starting to splinter at the top by the transformer on the pole next to the live electrical lines as it leans over Dixie Highway, in addition to the wooden pole being splintered apart at about eye level and only being held up from falling over by the steel support lines running from the pole into the sandy soil.

It's been weeks since this pole was reported to FPL after a truck ran into it with such force that it knocked the pole out of the sidewalk but public safety doesn't seem to be a top priority with FPL.

The City Managers Office of Wilton Manors has reported the problem to FPL and still no action has been taken so I called the State of Florida Public Service Commission, which regulates utilities in Florida, and filed a complaint with them at 1-800-342-3552. FPL now has 15 days to get back to me about what they are going to do about this public safety hazard and if it continues to be absolutely nothing, I can follow through with the State of Florida Public Service Commission and request that they engage in actions against FPL to address this problem and get the pole replaced.

Of course, it always helps to get things done in Florida if more people get involved and I'd suggest more people call the State of Florida Public Service Commission and file a complaint against FPL in regard to the broken pole located in front of a store at 2212 North Dixie Highway, in Wilton Manors Florida, zip code 33304, but as it's often the case in the Fort Lauderdale area where people complain more than they do anything about the problems they encounter here, you can rest assured that at least one person here is doing something to bring about some positive changes in regarding to people being able to travel safely on this section of Dixie Highway.

And of course, if this dangerously broken utility pole does crash to the street before I can get FPL to replace the pole and it hits a motor vehicle, pedestrian or cyclist, people here are going to stand around and ask why someone didn't do something about this problem because that's just the way it is with the folks around these parts.
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