Issue link: http://alabamapower.uberflip.com/i/1463690
2 Florida and New York for mutual assistance work. Buck said being part of mutual assistance crews is always rewarding. He said lineworkers have to find a balance between following their own safe work practices and adapting to the guidelines and protocols of the outside company they're assigned to help. Mutual assistance work is often a learning experience as well. After Hurricane Andrew in 1992, Stanley was part of a crew assisting in Miami, where he learned that Florida Power & Light used different equipment with more insulation and stronger supports because of the high winds that come with hurricanes. Stanley and Buck both ended up in Panama City in 2018 after Hurricane Michael. At first, they didn't know the other was there, but they were able to briefly see each other during their work. "I had people coming up to me and telling me what a great job he was doing," said Stanley. "It makes a father feel proud to know his son is doing the right thing and helping people along the way." Lineworkers are often the face of the company for customers, especially when the power goes out. Buck and Stanley have had memorable interactions with customers, some who were insistent that their power get restored first and others who would bring them food and water to thank them for their work. Stanley recalled one experience when he was restoring power to a neighborhood after midnight. It was warm, so people were sitting outside on their porches in the dark. When he flipped the final switch and the power came back on, Stanley could hear cheers erupt along the entire street. "It was like they were at a football game," he said. It's stories like this that remind Stanley and Buck that being a lineman and working for Alabama Power is more than just a job – it's a way of life. "I look at the world differently," said Buck. "I'm thinking about the weather more than other people do. When everyone else is excited about the possibility of snow and everything shutting down, I'm thinking about getting ready to go work for a few days." "There's a feeling of pride when you get the lights back on," said Stanley. By Mitchell Kilpatrick Stanley Buchanon