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Powering up
  
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By CHARLOTTE AGUILAR
The second week of life after Ike, it was all about power — the haves and the have nots.
Strangers in virtual convoys of big trucks — the kind of workers often eyed suspiciously in cautious Bellaire — were welcomed with cheers, cold beverages and offers of lodging.
“People are real friendly,” said Len, a trimmer from North Carolina. “They’re always glad to see us.”
Len, along with co-workers George and Zac, are part of a crew from North Carolina.
They’re not supposed to talk to media about timetables or routes, but they did agree to chat with the Examiner for a couple minutes as they worked in the northeast quadrant of Bellaire Monday.
In the winter, the crews — trucks were from Ohio, Michigan, Indiana and the Carolinas — do what local crews do here. They trim branches away from power lines in their home areas and deal with problems of snow and ice, to boot.
“Folks don’t like that so much,” laughed Zac. “They usually get kinda P.O.ed that we’re cutting some prize tree of theirs.”
In the summer, they often find themselves along the Gulf Coast, from Florida to the Texas-Mexico border, doing the critical limb and tree removal that enables linesmen to restore power after hurricanes.
They drive their trucks from home, sometimes sleep in them. Outside Bellaire, they camped in a cluster of tents along Glenmont Street in the Houston Community College/Southwest parking lot, mainly lying on top of cots or sleeping bags.
They fan out before dawn and work until it’s no longer safe.
While sometimes they’re dealing in “pretty primitive” conditions, they say the Bellaire assignment is relatively cushy.
“Heck, you got a whole bunch of restaurants open here,” said Len. “We’re eating real well.”
Candelari’s pizza, perhaps, or some fajitas from Casa Dominguez or pasta from Auntie Pasto’s?
“No,” said George. “You’ve got a Wendy’s right down there and a McDonald’s further down the freeway there.”
Simple needs, hard work. Our heroes.
STAY INFORMED
For the latest on power restoration, school reopenings and other news that affects your community in the days after Hurricane Ike, visit the Bellaire Examiner at www.hcnonline.com
Strangers in virtual convoys of big trucks — the kind of workers often eyed suspiciously in cautious Bellaire — were welcomed with cheers, cold beverages and offers of lodging.
“People are real friendly,” said Len, a trimmer from North Carolina. “They’re always glad to see us.”
Len, along with co-workers George and Zac, are part of a crew from North Carolina.
They’re not supposed to talk to media about timetables or routes, but they did agree to chat with the Examiner for a couple minutes as they worked in the northeast quadrant of Bellaire Monday.
In the winter, the crews — trucks were from Ohio, Michigan, Indiana and the Carolinas — do what local crews do here. They trim branches away from power lines in their home areas and deal with problems of snow and ice, to boot.
“Folks don’t like that so much,” laughed Zac. “They usually get kinda P.O.ed that we’re cutting some prize tree of theirs.”
In the summer, they often find themselves along the Gulf Coast, from Florida to the Texas-Mexico border, doing the critical limb and tree removal that enables linesmen to restore power after hurricanes.
They drive their trucks from home, sometimes sleep in them. Outside Bellaire, they camped in a cluster of tents along Glenmont Street in the Houston Community College/Southwest parking lot, mainly lying on top of cots or sleeping bags.
They fan out before dawn and work until it’s no longer safe.
While sometimes they’re dealing in “pretty primitive” conditions, they say the Bellaire assignment is relatively cushy.
“Heck, you got a whole bunch of restaurants open here,” said Len. “We’re eating real well.”
Candelari’s pizza, perhaps, or some fajitas from Casa Dominguez or pasta from Auntie Pasto’s?
“No,” said George. “You’ve got a Wendy’s right down there and a McDonald’s further down the freeway there.”
Simple needs, hard work. Our heroes.
STAY INFORMED
For the latest on power restoration, school reopenings and other news that affects your community in the days after Hurricane Ike, visit the Bellaire Examiner at www.hcnonline.com
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