After working in two Florida towns for 11 days to restore power after Hurricane Irma, Public Works & Utilities Director Mike Barton and an 11-man crew returned to Wake Forest Friday, Sept. 22, pleased that they had done so much for Bartow and Lakeland residents and pleasantly surprised by the response of those residents.
“We were treated the best of any storm I have ever worked,” Barton said in an email this week. “In Bartow, residents came out in droves with drinks, snacks, ice, toiletries and businesses were fighting to provide meals for all the linemen. One resident put on a BBQ event for relief workers for dinners one day and lunch and dinner the next, In Lakeland, we were offered drinks, snacks and ice.”
The Wake Forest crew, with all the other crews from North Carolina public power towns, got all the lights on in the two towns. “When we were released by both towns, all meters that could be energized had been energized [except] the ones that needed electricians to repair damage before re-energizing were not energized.”
Barton and the 11 men left Wake Forest on Tuesday, Sept. 12, worked in Bartow from Wednesday through the following Monday, Sept. 18, and were in nearby Lakeland from Monday through Friday, when they left to return to Wake Forest. The crew with Barton was made up of Brett Phillips, Jason Shambley, Chad Champion, Chris Terrell, Hugo Mier, Joe Shearin, Zack Goldsmith, David Thieman, Jason Walter, Lonnie Wilson, and Chris Keith.
They are all back in town just in time for Public Power Week, which runs all next week, Oct. 1-7. Be sure to get some free hot dogs and popcorn at town hall during the week while you stroll through the Energy Expo and watch linemen show adults and children how to be safe around electricity on Thursday, Oct. 5.
