9/15/2005
A second crew of Jackson Purchase Energy line workers will leave Saturday to help restore power to those affected by the devastation of Hurricane Katrina.
A second crew of Jackson Purchase Energy line workers will leave Saturday to help restore power to those affected by the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. Five JPEC line workers will replace five line workers JPEC sent to Mississippi two weeks ago. The first JPEC crew was sent to Southern Pine Electric Power Association in Taylorsville, MS, about 50 miles southeast of Jackson, MS.
The first crew returning from Mississippi includes line workers Louis Carman, Chad Culp, Jim Evrard, Darryl Johnson and John Sutton.
The new crew that will leave for Mississippi on Saturday morning will include line workers Joseph Cornwell, David Denfip, Shane Humphry, Matt Lewis and Eric Todd.
The returning crew will be back at JPEC on Sunday after working 16 to 18 hour days, 7 days a week for two full weeks.
Denfip said, "It has been hard work for our guys down there and I know they are ready for a little bit of rest.
I'm glad I can go down there and help those in need - plus get our guys back home for a break."
The new crew is expected to work the same 16 to 18 hour days. The crew is scheduled to return after a week or 10 days.
Southern Pine Electric Power Association serves more than 65,000 customers nearly all of who were without power after the storm. Efforts to restore power have been ongoing since the storm cleared. About 3,000 Southern Pine Electric Power Association customers are still without power.
Rich Sherrill, vice president of engineering and operations said, "From the beginning, we knew our guys were going to be worn out and had always planned on sending a fresh crew after about two weeks."
JPEC is on a "willing to assist" list at the Kentucky Association of Electric Cooperatives. The KAEC has coordinated the relief effort with the Mississippi Statewide Association.
Humphry said, "We've gotten several shots - tetanus, hepatitis B and what not. I'm ready to get down there and help out."
The crewmembers going to Mississippi to replace JPEC's first wave of support all volunteered for the duty.
The host utility pays all expenses for assistance and therefore, JPEC will not incur any costs other than lacking five line workers here at home.
The line crews operate just like they do here with one man serving as the liaison with the local utility. He will receive work assignments and then distribute those assignments to the crews. This set up ensures that JPEC's help is really a help and not a hindrance. By having one point of contact it means that JPEC's crews do not have to be supervised by the local utility.
