This year’s hurricane season put the national mutual aid system to the test. Hurricanes Beryl, Helene, and Milton hit the southeast United States and Gulf Coast in swift succession, causing widespread destruction across multiple states. In response, UWUA members from dozens of locals mobilized to help affected communities recover, traveling hundreds of miles to restore power and rebuild infrastructure while working grueling 16-hour days in hazardous conditions.
The mutual aid network: a critical safety net
The concept of mutual aid within utilities traces its roots to the rural electrification efforts of the 1930s, when electric co-ops began relying on each other during crises. Today, this system has evolved into a sophisticated network of more than 2,000 organizations, with over 1,100 utilities participating in formal mutual aid agreements.
“Mutual aid is just what it sounds like — utilities helping each other in times of need,” explains Jason Fabynick, president of UWUA Local 116 in Ohio. When disasters overwhelm a utility’s local capabilities, they can call upon this network for additional workers, equipment, and materials. The responding utilities only send help after ensuring their own local services won’t be disrupted, and volunteers are sought to fulfill these mutual aid commitments.
Recent response efforts
The 2024 hurricane season saw tremendous demand for mutual aid response. Local 116, with its 130 linemen, responded to all three of this season’s major hurricanes. “We had more calls for mutual aid this year than in other recent years,” Fabynick notes. His members deployed to Texas after Hurricane Beryl in early July, to Asheville following Hurricane Helene in late September, and to Florida in the wake of Hurricane Milton in early October.
From mountains to swamps: diverse challenges
Chris Katzmann of Local 1-2 exemplifies the dedication of utility workers during this challenging season. His three-week mutual aid journey began with a 9.5-hour drive from New York City to Bluefield, West Virginia, where his crew restored power to hundreds of homes by repairing broken poles, replacing transformers, and fixing primary and secondary wires.
After completing their work in West Virginia, Katzmann and his team drove another 13.5 hours to Sarasota, Florida. There, they encountered familiar challenges — downed poles and power lines — but on a much larger scale, complicated by unique geographical challenges. “We had to navigate swampy areas and washed-out roads,” Katzmann explains. The conditions were so challenging that special crews were brought in to lay boards across swamps and backyards to prevent trucks from getting stuck.
Challenging terrain in Virginia
The aftermath of Hurricane Helene in Virginia presented similar challenges for utility workers. Kris Amaru and Scott Kelley, linemen with Local 369, spent three days driving and seven days working on Whitetop Mountain, one of Virginia’s highest peaks. The terrain was treacherous, with saturated ground from ten days of continuous rain and winds reaching 40-60 miles per hour.
“I’ve done mutual aid up and down the East Coast, but this was by far the most difficult terrain I’ve worked on in my 20 years,” says Amaru. “The water damage from the flooding was unreal. Roads were washed away.” Kelley, a 35-year UWUA member, adds, “There was no access to vehicles at all. We were using our gaffes and belts, working alongside IBEW members from Texas and crews from Illinois. We came together as a team and kicked butt.”
Emergency response in Georgia
Local 223 mechanic Kentrell Gabriel’s experience highlights the rapid-response nature of mutual aid work. With just hours’ notice, he joined a massive operation in Georgia that included 48 bucket trucks, 15 backyard machines, and various support vehicles. The operation housed approximately 8,000 linemen in FEMA trailers, creating what Gabriel described as “a little city” complete with food tents, showers, and laundry facilities.
North Carolina’s unexpected challenge
When Local 102’s crew of 26 linemen and two mechanics headed south, they expected to stage briefly in Asheville, North Carolina, before continuing to Florida. Instead, Hurricane Helene’s unexpected impact on Asheville turned their stopover into a 19-day mission.
“We were told to pack for Florida. I didn’t even bring a jacket,” recalls Dennis Boyer, President of Branch Local 102 Q. The crew found themselves working in challenging conditions, with limited access to food, fuel, and communication. “This was definitely one of the more devastating and extreme storms I’ve seen over the years. Western North Carolina wasn’t expecting or prepared for this storm. Usually, we’re just repairing. This time we actually had to rebuild.”
The human impact
Despite the challenging conditions, many workers emphasize the gratitude they receive from affected communities. Gabriel from Local 223 recalled the appreciation shown by the town of Wrens, Georgia, particularly by Mayor David Hannah. “The first day we were there, he came out, greeted us, and shook our hands. Two days later, he was on the grill, cooking for us. They were very thankful we got the power back up.”
The Local 102 crew in Asheville hadn’t planned on staying more than a night or two; after all, it was just to be a stopover on their way to Florida. “We ended up being in the right place at the right time for this community,” Boyer said. Under Duke Power’s direction, Local 102 members restored power to critical infrastructure, including hospitals, high schools, churches, and buildings that could serve as emergency shelters. They were also tasked with building a nearly one-mile-long power line from scratch to reconnect an isolated community after a bridge washout.
A continuing commitment
The mutual aid network represents more than just emergency response — it’s a testament to the utility industry’s commitment to public service. From Local 310’s 21-line worker convoy to Tampa, to Local 379’s two-man crew racing to Orlando, these utility workers demonstrate that when disaster strikes, help is never far away.
As climate change increases the intensity of natural disasters, the importance of this mutual aid network grows. These utility workers — often overlooked in state and federal policy discussions about first responders — continue to play a crucial role in disaster recovery, working tirelessly to restore power and help communities rebuild, one power line and one neighborhood at a time.