Co-ops deploy nearly 200 for Hurricane Helene help

(KBSI)- Nearly 200 Missouri line workers have answered the call to help fellow electric cooperatives in need, deploying from 30 electric cooperatives to assist two Georgia electric cooperatives severely impacted by Hurricane Helene. The teams, consisting of 197-line workers, will join thousands of other personnel from across the cooperative family to address the unprecedented damage that has left over 1.15 million electric cooperative members without power.

The Missouri crews will assess the damage and work to allocate resources efficiently, prioritizing safety in the hazardous environment. According to Caleb Jones, CEO of Missouri Electric Cooperatives, “When anyone in our electric cooperative family is in need, Missouri is only a call away”

Hurricane Helene’s Category 4 winds of 140 mph and torrential rains have caused widespread destruction, ripping down lines, uprooting trees, and flooding coastal areas ¹. Although the storm weakened to tropical status as it moved through Georgia, the damage remains severe.

This deployment is not Missouri’s first hurricane relief effort. The state’s electric cooperatives have a long history of lending aid, dating back to 2004 when they assisted with Hurricane Ivan relief ¹. They also sent crews to Louisiana following Hurricane Ida in 2021 ¹. In return, Missouri co-ops received assistance restoring power after ice storms in 2007 and 2009.

Missouri’s Electric Cooperatives’ Relief Efforts:

– Deployment: 197-line workers from 30 electric cooperatives
– Location: Georgia, assisting two severely impacted electric cooperatives
– Damage: Over 1.15 million electric cooperative members without power
– Priorities: Safety and efficient resource allocation

This cooperative effort demonstrates the sixth principle guiding electric cooperatives: cooperation among cooperatives.