Getting on the road
These snow chains were brand new a week earlier, when they were broken out of the packaging for Alabama's own winter storm.
Line crews that travel across the country to help restore power have to think about many things while packing and preparing to go. Safety is always the top priority.
Sixteen crew members from Trussville were part of a contingent of almost 200 Alabama Power employees who left for Pennsylvania Wednesday morning. These 16 employees represent 302 years of experience in their field.
A “crew” is more than two men and a truck, and refers to a unit that usually involves five or six vehicles and a dozen people.
Crew members pack for at least a week, but often end up needing laundry for longer deployments.
Every day, the linemen write down how many days it’s been since the crew had an accident. Nobody wants to start over at 1.
These snow chains were brand new a week earlier, when they were broken out of the packaging for Alabama’s own winter storm.
Everyone leaving this morning got an extra pair of warm socks.
You can never have too many bright neon safety vests.
The trucks get a final check before rolling out.
