Power Crews Provide Hurricane Assistance

Oklahomans are helping those areas battered by Hurricane Gustav.  More than a million homes and businesses are still without power along the Gulf Coast.  The News On 6's Craig Day reports power crews from Oklahoma are hitting the highway to help hurricane victims recover.

Although New Orleans was spared a direct hit, Hurricane Gustav still packed a powerful punch.  There are 11,000 crewmen working to restore power around New Orleans and more are on the way from Oklahoma.

Bernie Hawkins of Grove has helped with emergencies in 16 different states.  He says every situation is different, but the goal is the same.

"You find a lot of people really in a bad situation.  And, whether it be elderly or disabled, really your heart goes out to them and you work hard to try to get them powered up as quick as you can," said Bernie Hawkins.

Hawkins is among 50 Bison Electric workers headed from Tulsa to stage in Beaumont, Texas.   Bison contracted with Entergy and will likely do repair work in Louisiana.

Crews are doing last minute checks before they leave for the coast.

"If the motels are knocked out, they'll probably sleep in tents.  They'll work anywhere from 16 to 18 hours a day, seven days a week.  The conditions are kind of rough," said Leslie Simmons with Bison Electric.

The Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives is also sending crews to Louisiana.  Eight 5-man teams, including one from Verdigris Valley Electric in Collinsville will help with Gustav recovery.

"We don't mind a bit, doing something like this.  Because we know it's going to happen here, which it did.  And, we need the help," said Boyd Schultheiss with Verdigris Valley Electric.

Most of the electric crews from Oklahoma are expected to be gone ten days to two weeks to help with Hurricane Gustav recovery efforts.  But, it could be longer because Hanna is now threatening the East Coast.

Hanna has slumped to a tropical storm, but forecasters warn it could become a hurricane again by Thursday, threatening Florida, Georgia and South Carolina.

Oklahoma crews could help with damage from that storm as well.  PSO crews will leave Tulsa on Wednesday morning, to stage in Shreveport.