POWERGRAMS

18 across the Midwest, had been battered by an extraordinarily violent derecho wind event. Like New Jersey, it was a return trip to Illinois for Alabama Power employees. The last visit was in July 2011, when crews helped restore service in the town of Gurnee. This time, crews worked in suburban towns southwest of Chicago as well as in the city. A little more than two years ago, Alabama Power crews were in Puerto Rico helping get the lights back on in communities devastated by Hurricane Maria. Brian Lindsay, a manager in Power Delivery, made two trips to Puerto Rico, for a total of 74 days on the hurricane-ravaged island. He said it was one of the more rewarding out-of-state restoration efforts that he has been involved in over the years. "It's incredibly gratifying to me to do it," Lindsay said. "You just feel good about it, although it is tiring and stressful. It's just something that stays with me. "When you leave home you never know when you're coming back. You never know the conditions you'll be in. You could be sleeping in a tent in a staging area with hundreds of other people. You could be in a sleeper trailer or in a hotel. "I ask myself sometimes, why I enjoy it. It boils down to, it's gratifying. It's about making an impact for people who desperately need your help." Alabama Power crews are well-seasoned to restore power following all kinds of weather events, from hurricanes to ice storms to tornadoes – and in all kinds of terrain – thanks to the widely varying conditions and weather events back home. Their professionalism, known throughout the industry, keeps the crews in demand to assist other utilities under long-standing mutual-assistance agreements. For Rhonda Walters, the trip north in August was her third visit to New Jersey to restore power. An engineering clerk at Demopolis Crew Headquarters, Walters made her first trip in 2011 following "Snowtober" – an October nor'easter-turned-blizzard that broke snowfall records in at least 20 cities along the mid-Atlantic and New England coasts. She was back in Jersey the following year for Sandy, supporting engineers and crews working primarily in the community of Mays Landing, outside Atlantic City. This summer, she was back in Jersey again before traveling on with the crews to Illinois. Walters' role is to provide logistical support – everything from making sure hotel rooms are ready, to providing snacks and drinks for crews, to arranging for laundry if crews are away for an extended time. If a team member becomes ill and needs a local doctor or dentist, Walters can handle those arrangements as well. "I love it," said Walters, who has been supporting the traveling crews since Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005. "I've been from Texas to New Jersey and just about everywhere in between." She said the hard work and long hours are more than made up for by the warmth and appreciation the crews and support personnel receive from the people they've traveled so far to assist. "I've seen signs that say, 'Will trade husband and children for electricity,'" Walters said, chuckling. "Everyone is so thankful to see you. They offer us food, cold drinks – they praise you because you're there to help them. It's really incredible. It is so rewarding." Renevia Johnson, a distribution specialist in the Jasper Office, also has been traveling for years. She serves as an evaluator – part of the advance team that goes into damaged neighborhoods ahead of the line crews to assess the situation. She remembers massive snow and ice storms in Arkansas and Kentucky where there were "lines down as far as the eyes could see." She recalls restoring power in remote marshy areas where tractors were needed to haul out broken poles and bring in new ones. Johnson also won't ever forget Superstorm Sandy and spending all night in her truck, keeping folks away from a downed line until the local utility could clear the area for restoration work. "I saw the sun rise that morning," she said. She remembers newfound friends in New Jersey coming out with hot chocolate for the crews one cold morning. "You know, I love my job," Johnson said. "I love the fact that I can help someone and see how they rejoice when they get their service back – how appreciative they are." Johnson appreciates Alabama Power and the care the company takes to keep employees safe. "They listen to you and ask for feedback on how we can do things better, which is very important." That focus on safety is another reason Johnson is always eager to hit the road again, whenever and wherever Alabama Power is needed. It didn't take long. As Hurricane Laura bore down on the Texas-Louisiana coast in late August, Alabama Power crews were getting ready to roll out once more. "It's kind of like a reunion," Johnson said, as crews from across the company prepared once again to support communities several states away. "I love it," Johnson added, "because you get that warm and fuzzy feeling when you help someone. It makes my job that much more enjoyable." By Michael Sznajderman Walters, Johnson and Jennifer Kimbrell traveled to New Jersey.

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