St茅phan Perreault and his team have been helping restore power in North Carolina since Hurricane Helene hit in late September, and they don香蕉视频直播檛 expect to be heading home any time soon.
They are some of the hundreds 香蕉视频直播� possibly thousands 香蕉视频直播� of Canadian line workers who have been called into service to help rebuild power grids after Helene and now Hurricane Milton have left millions of Americans in the dark.
Perreault says the line workers have witnessed scenes of devastation from Helene while operating 16 hours per day in challenging conditions that include washed out roads and power grids wiped out by wind and flooding.
香蕉视频直播淲e see homes carried away by water, we see cars buried under mud, we see completely destroyed electrical grids,香蕉视频直播� he said. Hurricane Helene also caused at least 227 deaths. While Perreault hasn香蕉视频直播檛 seen any loss of human life himself, he said the workers have witnessed plenty of tough moments, including meeting distraught people who have lost homes and pets.
Perreault said the team香蕉视频直播檚 work around Asheville, N.C., was starting to near completion when Milton hit. He said some teams have already headed toward northern Florida to help with that storm, which initially left some three million without power, and he expects to follow.
Ontario香蕉视频直播檚 Hydro One said Thursday it had sent 50 additional workers to help restore power in Florida after Milton, in addition to the 100 who were sent to the United States after Helene. Nova Scotia Power sent about 35 people to Florida. 香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 important to help our neighbours and they do the same to support us during major storms here in Nova Scotia,香蕉视频直播� the utility said.
Perreault says the pair of companies he works for 香蕉视频直播� Gagnon Line Construction and Holland Power Service 香蕉视频直播� have more than 700 people on the ground from several provinces, including Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick. Perreault, who is based in Quebec香蕉视频直播檚 Eastern Townships, says many power companies, including Hydro-Qu茅bec and local companies in Sherbrooke, Magog, Coaticook and Jonqui猫re, have allowed their employees to take leave to join the effort in the U.S.
Daniel Dumas of Quebec-based power line company EEA says the teams in North Carolina have been living in difficult conditions, sleeping 16 people to a trailer and eating at a food tent in a makeshift workers camp. Dumas, who was heading to join the team on Friday, said they wake up at 5:30 a.m. and work until 9 or 9:30 p.m. rebuilding the washed-out grid.
But he says they香蕉视频直播檙e encouraged by the gratitude shown to the Canadian crews who are greeted 香蕉视频直播渓ike heroes香蕉视频直播� by citizens who offer food, coffee and thanks. In one memorable moment, a preacher even approached one of the work trucks to bless the crew, he said.
香蕉视频直播淲e could fill up pickup trucks with all the doughnuts, and fill a pool with all the coffee we香蕉视频直播檝e been given,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淟ots of food, lots of recognition, people are very grateful.香蕉视频直播�
Perreault says the same. While the trip has been filled with difficult moments, he香蕉视频直播檚 also been struck by small gestures of kindness, including from people who have offered the use of their ATVs and golf carts and brought out snacks and water, and restaurants that have quickly jumped to feed the hungry workers.
Pierre Duval, an employee of Ontario-based Sproule Powerline, was heading from South Carolina to Florida on Friday. He said he saw flooding, downed power lines, and trees that fell on houses, 香蕉视频直播渓ike you see on TV.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 a mess 香蕉视频直播� just a mess,香蕉视频直播� he said.
Duval, from Alfred and Plantagenet, Ont., said the job in recent weeks has been challenging, but it香蕉视频直播檚 nothing he isn香蕉视频直播檛 used to 香蕉视频直播� except for the heat. He香蕉视频直播檚 been in the United States for about two weeks so far, and said he had no idea when he香蕉视频直播檇 be heading home.
香蕉视频直播淥h my God, I don香蕉视频直播檛 know,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淚 don香蕉视频直播檛 call the shots for that. Whenever they release us, we just go back home and it香蕉视频直播檚 a three-day drive back.香蕉视频直播�
