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For some PG&E crewmen, restoring power to Sierra, Foothills is personal

For some PG&E crewmen, restoring power to Sierra, Foothills is personal
WOMEN ON THE FRONT LINE HAVE WORKED FOR NEARLY A MONTH STRAIGHT. KRCA 3’S JASON MARKS HAS MORE OUOFT PLACER COUNTY. DOCO PG&E CREWS CONTINUE TO WORK AROUND THE CLOCK TO GET POWER BACK ON. MANY OF THOSE CREWMEMBERS ARE FROM PLACER COUNTY AND MANY DON’T HAVE POWER THEMSELVES. THIS FOR THEM IS PERSONAL. DOCO CURRENTLY WHERE WE ARE AT. DOCO YOU CAN SAY THINGS ALONG HAYWIRE RANCH ROAD IN PLACER COTYUN HE CAME LITERALLY HAYWIRE AFTER WINTER WEATR.HE DOCO A LOT OF DAMAGE. A TREES. >> WHICH MEANS A LOT FOR PG&E CREWS TO FIX. >> A LOOKS LIKE A WAR ZONE TO ME. FIRST FEW DAYS, IT WAS A LITTLE EYE-OPENING. >> THE DAMAGE DONE TO PG&E EQUIPMENT WAS WIDESPREAD. I’M BEEN LIKE JOSH HUNTER HAVE HAD A BDSIR EYE VIEW. >> WHEN THE WIRE CEAM DOWN, A LOT OF IT GOT TANGLED IN THESE TREES AND ON THE PHONE. >> THE FATHER OF A ONE-YEAR-OLD SON HAS ONLY HAD ONE DAY OFF THE LAST COUPLE WEEKS. DOCO 16 HOUR DAYS. YOU GET HOME. FAMILY IS ALL IN BED. COMILY IS ALL IN BED. ME BACK OUT HERE AND DO IT AGAIN. >> HUNTER IS NOT ALONE. THE SAME CAN BE SAID FOR PATRICK KELLY. A 10 YEAR THAT AND FATHER OF FOUR AND SIX-YEAR-OLDS. >> IT IS TOUGH. I LOVE SEEING MY GIRLS AND I MISS THEM. >> THIISS THE THIRD WEEK IN ARRIVE BEEN WORKI.NG DOCO LONG HOURS MIXED WITH TERRIBLE CONDITIONS. DOCO A LOT OF SNOW CATS. LOT OF SNOWSHOEING, WHICH SLOWS DOWN THE PROCESSN I RESTORING THESE CUSTOMERS. DOCO ELECTRICITY RUNS THROUGH TONI’S BLOOD. DOCO MY DAD WAS A JOURNEYMAN LINEMAN FOR PG&E FOR ALMOST 30 YEARS. >>’S SON IS NOW CARRYING THE TORCH. ALL CANDLES BURN AT HIS HOME. CODO I LIVE OVER THAT HILLSIDE ABOUT A QUARTER-MILE. I’MN O A DIFFERENT TAP. THIS HAS THE POTENTIAL TO MECO ENERGIZED SHORTLY AND MINE IS NOT SO FORTUNATE. >> THAIST WHY FOR MANY OF THESE WORKERS, THE JOB IS PERSONAL. >> THIS IS ALL OUR COMMUNITY. NOT ALL OF US ARE OUT-OF-TOWNERS. WE ARE HERE TRYING TO HELP OUR OWN COMMUNITY. >> LONG DAYS AND SLEEPLESS NIGHTS WILL CONTINUE. DOCO SOME DAYS ARE BETTER ANTH OTHERS OR CODE THIS CREW KNOWS BETTER DAYS ARE AHEAD. >> REAL DO ENJOYHIS. T WE EVEN ENJOY BRINGING POWER TO SOMEONE WHO HAS NOT HAD POWER AND A DSAY AND IN THIS CASE, WEEKS. >> I ASKED CREWMEMBERS WHEN THEY THOUGHT THEIR NEXT DAY OFF WILL BE PIT THEY SAID HAVE NO IDEA. THEY WILL KEEP WO
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For some PG&E crewmen, restoring power to Sierra, Foothills is personal
Pacific Gas & Electric Co. crews spent another day working to restore power to customers in the Sierra and Foothills after significant snowfall caused outages for tens of thousands of people.The outages caused by the weather system have left many in the dark in their homes since the holidays, but it also has had crewmen working in those stormy conditions for days.For many of those PG&E personnel, restoring power is personal. Tony Albright lives in Colfax and is also impacted by the outages. Even his estimated time of restoration is not entirely clear, explaining that his home is on a different line from the one he was working on while speaking with KCRA 3.“Unfortunately I'm on a different line," Albright said. "This one has the potential to get energized here shortly and mine is not so fortunate."Albright, whose father was a journeyman lineman for PG&E for almost 30 years, has electricity running through his blood. The son now carries the torch while candles burn at his home. He said he has been working for weeks straight in not-so-favorable conditions. He described the first few days of repairs as eye-opening."A lot of snowcats and a lot of snowshoeing, which obviously slows down the process in restoring service for these customers," Albright said. | More Like This | Tens of thousands of people still without power following NorCal stormYou could say things along Haywire Ranch Road in Placer County became literally haywire after the winter weather.Lineman Patrick Kelly is a father of two and an employee with PG&E for 10 years. His reaction to the damages to equipment caused by the snowfall was also stark, describing it as a "warzone.""It's tough,” Kelly said. “I love seeing my girls and I miss them."Atop a cherry picker, lineman Josh Hunter has a bird's eye view of the damages. He pointed to a wire that came down and got tangled up on some trees.The father of a 1-year-old son has only had one day off in weeks."There are about 16 hour days,” Hunter said. “You get home, family is all in bed, come back out here and do it again."Still, despite the struggles, some of the personnel working to restore energy feel compelled to power through."This is all our community,” Hunter said. “Not all are out of towners. We are here trying to help our own community. We all do enjoy this. We enjoy bringing power to someone who hasn't had power in days and in this case weeks."

Pacific Gas & Electric Co. crews spent another day working to restore power to customers in the Sierra and Foothills after significant snowfall caused outages for tens of thousands of people.

The outages caused by the weather system have left many in the dark in their homes since the holidays, but it also has had crewmen working in those stormy conditions for days.

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For many of those PG&E personnel, restoring power is personal. Tony Albright lives in Colfax and is also impacted by the outages. Even his estimated time of restoration is not entirely clear, explaining that his home is on a different line from the one he was working on while speaking with KCRA 3.

“Unfortunately I'm on a different line," Albright said. "This one has the potential to get energized here shortly and mine is not so fortunate."

Albright, whose father was a journeyman lineman for PG&E for almost 30 years, has electricity running through his blood. The son now carries the torch while candles burn at his home.

He said he has been working for weeks straight in not-so-favorable conditions. He described the first few days of repairs as eye-opening.

"A lot of snowcats and a lot of snowshoeing, which obviously slows down the process in restoring service for these customers," Albright said.

| More Like This | Tens of thousands of people still without power following NorCal storm

You could say things along Haywire Ranch Road in Placer County became literally haywire after the winter weather.

Lineman Patrick Kelly is a father of two and an employee with PG&E for 10 years. His reaction to the damages to equipment caused by the snowfall was also stark, describing it as a "warzone."

"It's tough,” Kelly said. “I love seeing my girls and I miss them."

Atop a cherry picker, lineman Josh Hunter has a bird's eye view of the damages. He pointed to a wire that came down and got tangled up on some trees.

The father of a 1-year-old son has only had one day off in weeks.

"There are about 16 hour days,” Hunter said. “You get home, family is all in bed, come back out here and do it again."

Still, despite the struggles, some of the personnel working to restore energy feel compelled to power through.

"This is all our community,” Hunter said. “Not all are out of towners. We are here trying to help our own community. We all do enjoy this. We enjoy bringing power to someone who hasn't had power in days and in this case weeks."