When a big storm hits, one of the big concerns for many, once they have determined that life and limb are safe, is hoping that the lights stay on. Or, if they do go out, that they come back on very quickly. When a big storm hits, and the lights go out, its not at all uncommon for them to come back on sometimes within minutes, and usually in just a few hours. That the public has become so accustomed to uninterrupted electricity is largely thanks to an army of workers who form utility emergency response teams and are on the site before a big storm hits.
Whenever a big storm, often a hurricane, is predicted, workers from all over the country spring into action. Convoys of bucket trucks make for the areas where the storm is slated to land, and then position themselves in places where they can mobilize quickly once outages become known. Line workers who make up these teams benefit from earning extra overtime. But they also take their work seriously, and get great satisfaction from quickly restoring power and other services to affected neighborhoods.
People living in areas frequently hit by big storms become accustomed to seeing parking lots full of bucket trucks, all with baskets raised. Because each bucket truck usually carries at least $10,000 worth of equipment, line workers got in the habit of storing all possible tools in the basket, then raising it to deter thieves.
There are a number of challenges facing bucket trucks and workers who drive them during a big storm. If there is ice, it can cause brakes to lock and create extremely hazardous driving conditions. Torrential rains create deep mud that can be almost impossible for many trucks to get through, and it can fill a raised basket very quickly, creating miserable and unsafe conditions for the worker using it. Sometimes, a truck will get stuck and no amount of effort can move it, so the lineman will have to do things the old-fashioned way, walking to his destination and climbing the poles where work needs to be done.
During hurricane season, there seems to be an almost endless need for line workers and their bucket trucks. Many of these workers are accustomed to being ready to go at a moments notice, and possibly drive a thousand miles or more to get to wherever a storm is supposed to hit. It is necessary for them to have the most reliable equipment possible, so companies that field these emergency response teams take extra care to make sure that the vehicles they use are especially well-maintained.
In a major storm, it is still likely that the majority of people affected will simply lose their power. But it is fairly unusual for just about anyone to experience power outages lasting more than a few hours. That expectation can be this high is largely thanks to those linemen and their equipment that are willing to go anywhere they are needed at a moments notice.