Thanks to Out of State Utility Workers!

[NY65912]

I have been seeing a lot of out of state utility crews on the road headed into NYC and I gotta to say I have been choked up with overwhelming thanks.

There was a Missouri emergency response team headed into the worst hit areas of the hurricane. Last night on the Brooklyn-Queens Expwy there was a convoy of Indiana utility workers on their way in to help. And Friday a convoy of guys from Florida. Those are just the crews I saw.

I wanted to say a huge THANKS to these guys, leaving their families and homes.

Many people would say that New Yorkers are cold and unfeeling. Trust me this is the furthest from the truth. When we see a crew from out of state we wave and say thanks.

Everyone in this great city is pulling together in this crisis, and very appreciative of the help we are receiving from everyone who has traveled so far to lend a hand.

Thanks to all.

[Z-man]

Seeing the same thing in NJ -- actually, for a change, seeing many folks helping other folks in greater need. Good to see there is still some hope for humanity!

-Z

[GH85Carrera]

My father in law was a utility repair line man. Every-time the weather got bad somewhere he was on the road. He said the vast majority of people were thankful to see them and often said thank you. Then there were the jerks of the world that yell and scream they they are special and should get their electricity back on before the people across the way or down the street. Somehow the most obnoxious jerks of the world would have a delay and the folks that brought cookies or water and were appreciative of the work got better service.

[bkreigsr]

If any of you guys or gals are Pelicans - thanks much
I've still got no power, but between the out-of-state forestry crews and linemen (linepeople?) I'm sure they are doing as best as possible.
Our neighborhood (Keyport, Aberdeen) is mostly Ohio repair crews, but I've seen Louisiana, Ft Lauderdale, Miami, Kansas City, North & South Carolina, to name a few....and....they are bringing in their own replacement transformers, poles, splicers, junctions, etc..... everything needed to get the job done. !
THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
Bill K

oh, and thanks to those who aren't Pelicans, but still might see this thread.

[flatbutt]

I actually called Prince George Power in Virginia to say thank you. Their crew is rebuilding the grid in my neighborhood.

[pete3799]

Power crews to CT.
Green Mountain Power - News Room - Green Mountain Power Sends Crews to Help Out in Connecticut
State police to N.J.
Vermont troopers help patrol New Jersey - WCAX.COM Local Vermont News, Weather and Sports-

[tharbert]

When a storm hit us a few years ago, linemen came out of the woodwork from everywhere. They deserved every warm soda and well wish we could throw their way.

I'd heard some areas affected by Sandy were turning away non-union line workers. If true, I hope the customers of those areas know about it.

[biosurfer1]

My company (SMUD, in Sacramento) just sent about 88 workers...hope they can help!

[patssle]

I remember right after Hurricane Ike in Houston - driving by in the opposite direction a convoy of miles long electrical trucks coming into the city. It was amazing.

[Superman]

My profession has to do with public work and labor relations. When Western Washington had the "Innagural Day Storm" back in the early '90's (80+ mph winds) and hundreds of thousands were without power, a call went out to neighboring states and the line crews came. Yup, we were grateful and we needed them. However.....

.....the other side of the story is that our PUD's and power companies guaranteed those workers double-time pay 24 hours per day for three weeks or whenever they were no longer needed, which ever came last. Linemen make pretty good money at the straight time rate. Just sayin'.......

[Grog]

Originally Posted by Superman

My profession has to do with public work and labor relations. When Western Washington had the "Innagural Day Storm" back in the early '90's (80+ mph winds) and hundreds of thousands were without power, a call went out to neighboring states and the line crews came. Yup, we were grateful and we needed them. However.....

.....the other side of the story is that our PUD's and power companies guaranteed those workers double-time pay 24 hours per day for three weeks or whenever they were no longer needed, which ever came last. Linemen make pretty good money at the straight time rate. Just sayin'.......

Working on live wires in the calm sunshine is dangerous, let alone in a rain storm. You can get killed driving to the job, fall off a pole, have a pole/tree/transformer.. fall on you, have someone that does not know what they are doing fire up a generator and back feed the line you are working on and kill you, we had a lineman badly burned when a hydraulic line split on his bucked truck, trapped 30 feet in the air with a flame thrower on you. A lineman fell from a high tower on a main transmission line in eastern Wa. a few weeks ago, left a wife and kids. They get paid good money because it takes skill and is dangerous. It takes a 3 year apprenticeship usually after working as a groundman for several years. and somewhere around half washout. They will also work a 24 hour day during a storm, taking short naps in their trucks.

Note; I make the power, I'm not a lineman. Our company is working on mutual aid agreement so they can go East and help.

[bkreigsr]

Originally Posted by tharbert

...I'd heard some areas affected by Sandy were turning away non-union line workers. If true, I hope the customers of those areas know about it.

NOT TRUE
rumor was started by radio station caller on NJ101.5FM and it spread rapidly
Bill K

[jhynesrockmtn]

Heard a radio interview with the Seattle Mayor the other day. He was talking about several crews with their gear being airlifted by the Air Force back east. He saw them off, etc. The reporter really was drilling him on who was paying for it. What the *(&^. Who cares. He was mildly annoyed at the question, explained there was a standing crisis sharing agreement or some such but gave a pretty vague answer. Reporter would not let it go. Really classless. Glad the help is arriving. I hope everyone's power, heat, etc. is back up as soon as possible.

[Superman]

Grog, I agree completely. Nobody's got more respect for construction workers, including outside electricians, than I do. They earn every penny, and then some. Freezing rain coming in sideways, danger everywhere. By they time they are 45 years old, their body is used up. And when the power is out, folks would happily pay they quadruple-time if that's what they required.

That said, and the various other dangers acknowledged (idiots with generators, etc), Powerline Construction Electricians almost never work on or near energized conductors. They throw the switch, then they ground the conductors, THEN they get in the bucket. Now, Powerline Clearance Tree Trimmers.....those guys almost never work around lines that are NOT energized.

[MotoSook]

One of my very good friend works for a company here in Illinois that mobilized guys and trucks the week before the storm. He and the crews have been out there since. First PA, the NJ. Earlier this year he and the crews were out in WV for weeks after a major storm. Sure they make good money when they are out there 24/7 to get power back. Let them ... 'cause after a couple weeks in all kinds of environment while their families are waiting at home for their return..It wears on the soul. I saw how my buddy hit the wall and just about ready to walk away from his truck and hitch hike home to his wife and child.

Show them the love... Good luck to those of you affected. My friend on Long Island has been without power for 10 days...and he has two little kids. They are keep their spirits up...

[SoCal911T]

I have a buddy that works for San Diego Gas & Electric and they have a bunch of crews and trucks in Warwick, New York. He said the locals are very appreciative and the cold and snow takes some getting used to . The trucks were shipped by flatbed and the workers flew a military transport out of March AFB.

San Diego Gas & Electric Hurricane Sandy aid

[ShakinJoe]

Originally Posted by bkreigsr

NOT TRUE
rumor was started by radio station caller on NJ101.5FM and it spread rapidly
Bill K

It is true unfortunately. This also happened in Florida after Hurricane Charlie. They started kicking out roofers that were sorely needed. When you flew into Florida for months all you saw were blue tarp roofs.

When they realized the mess they were in up North, they stopped turning workers away.

[Mike80911]

Luckily my power was restored 3 days after the storm but the next day half the house went out again. I came home Tuesday to find 2 trucks from California in front of my house working on the pole and 20 minutes later power was back to normal. I know if they had not been here the power would have been out for a long time as there are so many places around here still without power. So a big thank you to the crews from all over and especially the guys from California.

[bkreigsr]

Originally Posted by ShakinJoe

It is true unfortunately. This also happened in Florida after Hurricane Charlie. They started kicking out roofers that were sorely needed. When you flew into Florida for months all you saw were blue tarp roofs.

When they realized the mess they were in up North, they stopped turning workers away.

Joe, don't get caught up in the hype - utility workers were never turned away here
that's a fact
heard about the carpetbagger roofers and contractors after Hugo, Eugene, and Charlie, not here, with the utility workers.
lots of unsavory stuff here in the Garden State, but this is not a part of that.

PS: had 2 crews with 12 trucks from Wisconsin replace 3 downed poles on my block last night. hopefully today they get to test them out..
Bill K

[bkreigsr]

RUMOR: Out-of-state utility crews are being turned away from energy restoration here because they are non-union.
FACT: False. In fact, 550 members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 400 have been working “around the clock” with Jersey Central Power & Light and Exelon’s Oyster Creek power plant in Lacey, president Ed Stroup said, as reported by The Press on Friday. Many of the workers supposedly turned away were from Alabama. In response, Alabama Power posted a message to its website that it had “not been turned away from anywhere” and that “our employees are proudly representing us in several states that have been affected, and have received a warm reception everywhere they’ve been.”

source: Asbury Park Press, 11/5/12 - 'ongoing attempts at rumor control'