Line mechanic Dwight Miller spent two weeks with coworkers traveling to assist with Hurricane Katrina. Here he recalls some of this experiences while working to restore power. Consolidated Electric would like to extend its gratitude to those employees involved in the relief efforts. We sincerely appreciate you and your families’ sacrifices in order to make a difference in the lives of others. We are proud to have you as part of our Co-op family.

After a day of traveling with other crews from Ohio co-ops to the devastation dealt by Katrina, we spent the night in Athens, Ala., where members of a local church filled three Ohio co-op trucks with supplies. Such as water and diapers.

The second day was a struggle to make sure we had enough fuel to make it to our destination, Hattiesburg, Miss., and Pearl River Valley Electric Power Association. This was the last place with fuel all the way to the coast.

That night, we ate with the co-ops’s linemen, the food was served by office staff with smiles on their faces. Southern hospitality is evident there.

We were pleasantly surprised to find out our motel room had just gotten power. We were assigned a room with one bed, but it was more than many down there had. The carpet was wet, the towels we were given were worn and had holes in them, and the room had a strong stench of cat urine.

The laughter and conversation faded more each morning as fatigue set in.

The next day, we saw downtown Columbia. Ravaged by the storm, awnings were all over. A law office had lost the concrete front of the building. A traffic light was on the ground, while another dangled two feet off the ground. Utility poles were in the road.

Fallen trees on cars and homes were a common sight. We were told we were about 80 miles from the coast, and it was worse the farther south you went.

As we began replacing poles, things were disorganized and and materials were hard to come by. The days became more productive as the Ohio linemen from different co-ops got to know each other and became a team.

We began to gain a reputation as hard workers that knew what they were doing and were getting a lot of lines up in the air.

One nasty challenge was bugs. We were swarmed by them. Two got in my water jug the first day - which is why my water tasted funny. Windshields were plastered with them and the truck stank terribly in the mornings from the dead bugs in the cab.

Another challenge was the heat. The hot weather takes its toll on your body as you struggle to retain enough fluids. Drinks were available at the co-op, where there was a semi truck full of ice.

When I went to pay a check at a local restaurant, a gentleman wouldn't let me pay. He said, "I'm tired of everybody telling you how much we appreciate you. We want to show you." The bill was $48.

Another night, someone stopped by the motel and gave every lineman he could find a note that said:

"We want to let you know how much we appreciate the help you've given us. We know you have worked long hours in our southern heat and many of you have even slept in your trucks. Please know how much you have touched our hearts and lives. Your unselfishness will not be forgotten.

"Thank you for your willingness to sacrifice the comforts of your homes to come and help us during our time of need. You have been an answer to our prayers…"

I know the crew I was with was just a very small part of the whole picture, but it was very satisfying to work with them and to be a part of something much bigger.

Dwight is a line mechanic at Consolidated Electric Co-op, Mount Gilead, Ohio.