By Jeff Grogan | Echo
Dark clouds formed a threatening front as a major storm system approached Taylor's campus around 8:30 last night. The brief but violent wind storm knocked down a tree that damaged a transformer on East Berry street, causing power outages across campus and sporadically throughout Upland, according to Heath Crouch, who is in charge of utilities for Upland.
Within 10 minutes of the power loss, Taylor Facility Services personnel began shutting off sewage, water delivery and other vital equipment to protect campus facilities from the sudden outage. Meanwhile, Upland's Street Department and Fire Department began clearing debris from the fallen tree and contacted American Electric Power (AEP), Upland's electric provider.
Gregg Holloway, assistant director of facility services, said most of campus received power around 10:30 p.m. Buildings on the south side of campus waited another two and a half hours for their power to be restored. Holloway explained these buildings require three-phase power and took AEP longer to reengage than the transformer in Upland.
Once all buildings had power, Facility Services reset the equipment they shut off earlier and performed final checks to make sure everything functioned properly.
