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Vero Beach resident's plea leads AT&T to replace deteriorating utility pole

A Vero Beach homeowner feared a rotting utility pole could topple during a storm. After raising the alarm at our Let's Hear It event, a replacement pole was installed.

Danielle Leonard, WPTV

Nora Reed points out holes in the utility pole near her home, raising concerns about its condition heading into storm season.

By: Kate Hussey

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VERO BEACH, Fla — A Vero Beach neighborhood is getting relief after residents feared a deteriorating utility pole could come crashing down during a storm, threatening homes and potentially knocking out power.

Homeowner Nora Reed brought the problem to WPTV's Let's Hear It community event, and after speaking with investigative reporter Kate Hussey, things moved quickly.

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WPTV prompts AT&T to replace Vero Beach utility pole

Reed had been watching a utility pole behind her neighbor's home with growing concern. The pole was riddled with holes and sounded hollow when tapped.

"Look at this pole — it's totally whole," Reed said, pointing out the damage. "The cables — the utilities that it's holding."

Reed feared the pole would not survive a strong storm.

"It's gonna fall if we have a strong wind," Reed said.

After Reed raised her concerns at the Let's Hear It event in Vero Beach, Hussey started asking questions and found the pole belongs to AT&T.

Days after she reached out, the company confirmed the pole was damaged and installed a replacement.

Power Pole Replacement — Nora Reed walks investigative reporter Kate Hussey to the utility pole she fears will come down in the next storm.

AT&T says it has notified the local power company to transfer its lines to the new pole. Once that transfer is complete, the damaged pole will be removed. Until then, the old pole has been secured.

For Reed, the news was a long time coming.

"Yay!! I was like, awesome, you know, because it has taken so long, and now we have a light at the end of the tunnel," Reed said.

She also expressed gratitude for the follow through.

"You follow through, you call, and you are on top of it, and [my husband is] like, wow, yeah, I'm so appreciative for your efforts," Reed said.

Reed and her neighbors are still waiting for service to be transferred to the new pole.

In the meantime, AT&T encourages any customer with concerns about the condition of a utility pole to call the company at 800-288-2020.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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