JACKSONVILLE Fla.-- Local help for Sandy continues as JEA sends new crews up to Long Island, NY.
JEA crews may not be used to the snow, but they are familiar with helping people around the clock, and that's exactly what 35 local linemen have been doing in the northeast for the past two weeks. They're lighting up neighborhoods switched off by Sandy and they're lighting up faces, one JEA snowman at a time.
"That's the main reason why any of us go do it," said JEA lineman Tracy Haas. "They're in a world of hurt right now."
In Long Island, the JEA name has become synonymous with relief as neighbors post "thank you" signs on light poles.
Now comes the changing of the guard. JEA is sending replacement crews up north Friday morning.
Haas is one of the 35 relief linemen. He says now with a nor'easter, there's even more work to be done.
"The thing I'm worried about it just a slippery situation and everything we have to deal with ice on the wire we have to crack that off and just setting the trucks up thats a whole different ball game," he told Action News.
The new crews could be in the northeast through Thanksgiving, but Haas says the time he has to lose with his family in Jacksonville is nothing compared to what New Yorkers have lost in the past few weeks.
"My family is here with lights on so if I do have to stay through it, I'll do what I have to do," he said.
The crews that are already up in NY should be returning to Jacksonville in the next few days and the new crews plan on staying there until the job gets done.
