Self-taught weatherman helps HECO

By Rod Ohira
Advertiser Staff Writer

Hawaiian Electric Company crews were kept busy yesterday, responding to 14 power failures around the island between midnight and about 4 p.m.

"We were prepared for the worst and were able to respond and restore power quickly to most areas," HECO senior vice president of operations Tom Joaquin said in a statement. "We had extra field personnel on duty and all crews reported in early."

Tracking the storm for those crews was HECO's liaison to O'ahu Civil Defense Frank Vargo.

Ten years ago, Vargo had no interest in tracking weather conditions. Today, it's both a job and hobby for him.

As a liaison, Vargo, is responsible for coordinating anything to do with disasters between HECO and O'ahu Civil Defense.

Vargo, 65, received no formal weather-related training when he became HECO's communication link to O'ahu Civil Defense as part of a hurricane preparedness program. But tracking hurricanes piqued his interest in weather, and Vargo soon turned it into a hobby.

Because of the knowledge he has gained, Vargo is able to help HECO prepare for storms. He describes himself as "HECO's weather interpreter."

"I look at the radar and can tell them it's not going to get worse or it won't get worse but it's going to be around longer," said Vargo, who tracks information from the National Weather Service and other Internet sources.

Vargo worked 17 years for Cleveland Electric before joining HECO in 1974 to escape the cold weather. In addition to being a liaison, he is also an operational engineer.

"My job is to track storms and e-mail appropriate information to the (HECO) supervisors," Vargo said. "This storm was supposed to hit in the middle of the night so we were able to schedule people in place. Once it hits, I don't have much to do. The questions I get went from when is it going to start to when is it going to end."

Vargo's information allows HECO to prepare for power failures caused by storms, especially at its operation center on Ward Avenue where any disruption in power would be devastating. This is where Vargo's operational experience, especially with generators, and weather knowledge are a plus.

"If your cable TV goes out, they can have it up in an hour or two," Vargo said. "If the lights go out at HECO, it's the whole company."

Vargo also tracks weather information for HECO-affiliated power plants on Maui and the Big Island.

Reach Rod Ohira at 535-8181 or rohira@honoluluadvertiser.com.