Well it's now Friday and I haven't seen my house in daylight since the Monday after the hurricane hit us. I'm working 15 hour days on storm recovery and so far our utility has restored a little more than 50% of the electric service to our customers. We're on track to finish up by next Tuesday...just about in time for Ivan to come in and mess everything up again.

I keep asking myself why it is that I work in the utility industry. I'm just a glutton for punishment, I guess...

BOHICA

Start drinking heavily.

Uhhh... not before working on the power lines tho.

- BG

Well , sorry for your predicament. But, keep up the good work man! My hat is off to you and everyone else out there giving 110% to get the power back on for your fellow Floridians. I was in Charleston when Hugo came through. I was in the Corps and we went out and were kind of a jack of all trades unit. Our OS was 0311/8151 but when we we not on duty we were out using chain saws , clearing downed trees , handing out water and grocerys to everyone, you know doind everything we could to help. that included taking down some looters. Not shooting them but kind of making a citizens arrest. The looters were criminals in our book so we did what we felt was right with them until police could show up. Which sometimes took awhile. Anyway, keep hammering away man! Take care.

I normally do investigations into theft of utilities for the company I work for, but because I have good organizational skills (something that is in short supply around here), I got stuck with the job of managing the caterer that my company hired. We're doing about 500 meals, three times a day right now, with deliveries of about 120 meals to various field crews that can't make it to the temporary kitchen we have set up. I am also responsible for purchasing ice, water, and just about anything else we need to keep the crews going out in the field.

The government relief agencies around here haven't been able to consistantly find enough water and ice for even a limited public relief effort. I've been able to secure a minimum of 20,000 pounds of ice and all the drinking water we need - and that's with our water system 100% down at the moment. There's nothing that government does that private industry can't do better...and we're a quasi-governmental municipal utility. To our Director's credit, he's given me the job to do and he just lets me do it. No micro-managing, no penny pinching, just get it done. It should be this way all the time....

Well enough goofing off, it's back to the ravenous hoards...

Quoted: . I've been able to secure a minimum of 20,000 pounds of ice and all the drinking water we need - and that's with our water system 100% down at the moment. .

You can thank the anti-price gouging laws.


Why should someone in Michigan load up a truck and drive to Florida with supplies if they can't 1) charge more to cover their costs or 2) make some extra $$ to pay for their risk and inconvience?

Think of the overtime pay.

Quoted: Well it's now Friday and I haven't seen my house in daylight since the Monday after the hurricane hit us. I'm working 15 hour days on storm recovery and so far our utility has restored a little more than 50% of the electric service to our customers. We're on track to finish up by next Tuesday...just about in time for Ivan to come in and mess everything up again. I keep asking myself why it is that I work in the utility industry. I'm just a glutton for punishment, I guess...

Hang in there brother!  That's gun money!

Hey KBL, tell all your guys THANKS! We got power last nite, 5 days without. I've seen folks stopping along the road to ask crews how much longer it was going to be, have friends with newborns and a house full of kids sweating it out.

You and your guys are the unsung heros of this disaster, we finally get power and A/C and you're guys are still out in the storms, the wet, the humidity, the mosquitos, sleeping in their trucks going above & beyond thier duty to get the lines up.

Some folks might say it's your job, no, your job is the normal day to day maintnence of the power grid. What they are out there doing now is above & beyond the call of duty. If I could buy all these guys dinner and beer, I would. I've met a few in passing and they are running on adrenilin and caffeine, none were dragging their ass, most were filthy and hadn't had quit sweating since this thing started. Many are from other states away from their families where there is now flooding & other issues no doubt worried about their families. Man, tell them all that they are appreciated and give them a big Hooah thank you!!!! From all of us here in Florida!!!!!

Thanks very much for all of the kind words and encouragement. I can't even tell you how proud I am of all the people I work with who've worked selflessly since the hurricane hit. Many are without power themselves and haven't been home since the lights went out. Most of our linemen don't even know the extent of the damage to their own homes because they haven't seen their homes in daylight since the storm passed.

Disasters bring out the best and the worst in people. I'm fortunate to be surrounded by the best of the best. These guys are true professionals...professionals with dedication, compassion, and heart.

Well gotta run. I've got 8,000 more pounds of ice and 2 pallets of Gatorade on the way. Gotta keep the troops fueled...