Kentucky experiences what weather reporters call a millennial flood – it is the second such flood to hit the region in as many weeks, and it has left more than 37 dead, hundreds injured and tens of thousands without power. Ford CEO Jim Farley saw the devastation unfold on news channels and on social media platforms and decided to try to help, and he has sent a pair of Ford F-150 Lightning pickups to aid in the recovery.
The two electric trucks, along with direct cash injections for recovery efforts, are coming to Kentucky through the Ford Fund, a charity that, “works to ensure that people’s basic needs are met, provides access to essential services,and more. Farley references both in his tweet below, mentioning Kentucky — where the company has two assembly plants and a number of supplier plants – “part of [the] Ford family.”
Kentucky is part of our @Ford family, so we work with @FordFund to support the communities affected by the devastating floods by #F150Lightning Benefits and F-150s with Pro Power on board. The trucks will be used for cleanup operations and mobile power sources in the region. ️💙 pic.twitter.com/MNlFR0w2On
— Jim Farley (@jimfarley98) August 4, 2022
But how useful can two half-ton pickups really be? As it turns out, they can indeed be quite useful – thanks to Ford’s Power Pro Onboard generator systems.
Ford Pro Power on board
Ford F-150 Pro Power, courtesy of Ford.
Both the F-150 Lightning and the F-150 Powerboost Hybrid Model Trucks are available with “Pro Power Onboard”. The generator supplies up to 9.6 kW of power from 120 and 240 V sockets in the back of the trucks – which, thanks to the 98 kWh battery pack of the basic Lightningis good enough for more than 10 (ten!) hours of power at full load.
As impressive as that figure is, work crews on the ground will use much, much more than 10 hours in practice. That’s because even the most powerful tools will only see a few minutes (if not seconds) of continuous use, and there’s no power consumption when nothing is plugged in.
What good will that do?
The two Lightning pickups were received by a non-profit emergency response unit called Team Rubicon, which report that each truck can support a crew of 5-7 workers on the job all day, and help power 10 to 15 family homes a day. And while that may not seem like much, if you’re a member of one of the families going through this…
An aerial view of the severe flooding that has hit eastern Kentucky. TR continues to monitor the situation in Appalachia and stands ready to support where needed. pic.twitter.com/Rj3GJR7rGd
— Team Rubicon (@TeamRubicon) July 29, 2022
…be able to go back to your own house and turn on the lights, just like normal, is a wonderful feeling. Take it from someone who lived through the aftermath of Andrew, Katrina, and all four storms that hit Florida in 2004 (seriously, kids: If you see a hurricane coming, stay as far away from me as possible).
About that thousand-year flood
The Kentucky flood has been called a millennial flood — but you’re not crazy if you think you’ve heard that before. In February 2020, heavy rain again caused flooding across the state, as well as deadly mudslides that sent the Cumberland and Kentucky rivers to their highest levels in years.
Kentucky writer Silas House wrote about the floodsand talked about how residents of a trailer park in Harlan County were forced to flee the flooding with “just the clothes on their backs and the babies on their hips.”
A year later, in February 2021, “the worst floods in at least six decades” hit Kentucky, causing more devastation.
“I wish I could tell you why we keep getting hit here in Kentucky,” said Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, who has seen a “one in a lifetime” natural disaster strike his state in each of his three years in office. “I wish I could tell you why areas where people might not have much are still getting hit and losing everything. I can’t give you the why, but I know what we do in response. And the answer is all we can. These are our people. Let’s make sure we help them.”
I feel for Beshear. I am also concerned for him, in a state that in bizarre ways “connects the dots” and assume that three years of bad luck is but the manifestation of the wrath of some deity offended by one of his voices or commercials or whatever and – it’s better not to think about the possibilities.
Anyway, climate change is here – and I fear that two electric pickup trucks (no matter how good they are) won’t be enough to turn the tide.
Source: the Freep.
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