At American Electric Power, we are incredibly proud of our team members who go above and beyond, not only to restore power, but also to protect and save lives. Recently, three Appalachian Power lineworkers in Thaxton, Virginia, demonstrated outstanding heroism that showcases their commitment to the community and humanity.
While restoring power in the wake of Winter Storm Harlow, which first struck on February 11, Jeff D., Cameron L. and Tyler B. came across a flooded road. As they’ve been trained to do, the trio evaluated the road and determined it was not safe to cross when a motorist approached.
After a brief exchange with our foreman, the motorist attempted to cross the flooded road. The rushing water grabbed the Jeep, flipped it upside down and back over again, and lodged it between two trees downstream. In a panic, the motorist jumped out of his vehicle and was swept away by the strong current before frantically grabbing onto a tree limb some 300 feet away from the Jeep.
This heroic trio quickly jumped into action. Working as a team, they rushed downstream and found a soft bank to cross to get closer to the stranded motorist. Like a scene from a movie, the men grabbed a rope and secured one end around a tree and the other around Cameron’s waist, who dove into the water. Moving through the freezing, fast-moving flood waters, Cameron slowly made his way to the motorist, who was still hanging on to the tree limb.
“When I first got in the water, it was so cold it took my breath away,” said Cameron. “The water was moving much faster and stronger than I thought, and it was hard to get out to him.”
Wading through neck-deep water, Cameron eventually reached the motorist and ushered him back toward the bank. Jeff and Tyler helped pull the motorist to safety, who was absolutely exhausted from holding on to the tree.
“We just reacted,” Tyler said. “We saw someone in danger, and there was no second thought of what we needed to do.”
Our heroes were taken to the local hospital and treated for hypothermia. Everyone was released and is in good spirits. Instead of taking the day off to rest and recover from their heroics, the group immediately returned to the job at hand, working to restore power to our customers.
“We still have a lot of people who need us,” said Jeff.
Our hearts are so filled with pride for these men. In one action, they completely embodied how far our teams will go to make sure everyone makes it home safely each and every day.
Thank you to these men, our colleagues, neighbors, and heroes.
