Local co-op crews head south

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Four Kentucky electric cooperatives sent more than 70 personnel to help with storm restoration in Louisiana caused by Hurricane Isaac. Shown here, the employees gather at Dog Patch Trading Post parking lot on Wednesday afternoon before they begin their trip south. Photo by Nita Johnson

September 4, 2012

Local co-op crews head south

Lend hand to hurricane victims

By Nita Johnson Staff Writer The Sentinel-Echo Tue Sep 04, 2012, 12:39 PM EDT

LAUREL COUNTY, Ky. — As Hurricane Isaac brought its wrath along the Gulf Coast area, nearly 80 Kentucky electric workers journeyed to assist the many residents without power.

Linemen from four Kentucky electric cooperatives gathered at the Dog Patch Trading Post parking lot on Wednesday afternoon en route for Greenwell Springs, near Baton Rogue, in Louisiana.

Volunteers from Jackson Energy, Clark Energy, Big Sandy RECC and Licking Valley RECC left to assist workers at Dixie Electric Membership Cooperative in the wake of Hurricane Isaac.

Andy Bales and Brandon Angel were two of the London workers who embarked on the restoration efforts. Angel has served as a lineman with Jackson Energy for six years and said he volunteered to help victims of power outages from the storm.

Bales, who has 12 years as lineman under his belt, said he volunteered because “we may need help.”

“People came and helped us during the tornado,” he said. “I wanted to go help someone else.”

The Kentucky workers will remain in Louisiana for “at least two weeks,” Angel said.

“Then Jackson Energy will change out crews. We’ll come home and another crew will go,” he added.

Cooperation is big among electric co-ops, with crews from one agency jumping in to willingly assist others in need.

“Cooperatives have a long history of lending a helping hand to other co-ops following a major storm,” said Jackson Energy Director of Public Relations Karen Combs. “Our crews have helped bring the lights back on after Hurricane Ivan, Hurricane Katrina, and several ice storms. We have also relied on the assistance of crews from other co-ops when we have had major outages following snow storms, ice storms and tornadoes (in this area).”

Approximately 16 workers from the Jackson Energy Cooperative are participating in the restoration effort that had nearly a half-million customers in the Louisiana area without power on Wednesday afternoon when the workers gathered to start their trip.

njohnson@sentinel-echo.com