By DEVON CORMIER
Staff Writer

HELP FROM UP NORTH – Workers from Public Service of New Hampshire left Manchester by the dozen to aid Florida hurricane victims. PSNH workers helped restore electricity to homes and businesses during hurricanes Frances, Ivan and Jean. Many were surprised by the extensive amount of damage in Pensacola, where this truck stopped to do some work. (Courtesy Photo)

HOOKSETT – Dan Pike of Hooksett has never been so proud to be a public service worker. The emergency response administrator feels this way because he and 78 others from Public Service of New Hampshire (PSNH) drove three days to Florida in September to aid in hurricane recovery efforts.

“I feel very proud to be an employee of PSNH,” Pike said. “If New Hampshire was ever in the same situation they had down in Florida, any other utilities company would be more than willing to come and help. That’s just what we do.”

What Pike did burned a permanent memory into his mind’s eye. One of his most vivid memories filled him with pride and heartbreak all at once – an emotion Pike said is hard to put to words.

During one of Pike’s 14 days in Florida, he spotted a sign. The sign said “FTL (Florida Power and Light) Please Help.” Pike said he went in and found an elderly couple without power. The wife was hooked up to a portable respirator. The husband was in tears.

“We got their power going within the hour,” Pike said. “He and his wife were in tears. It touches you at so many levels to see the gratitude of these people.”

Dan Pike is the emergency response administrator for Public Service of New Hampshire. Pike spent about two weeks in the heart of hurricane devastation last month. Pike worked to restore power after hurricanes Frances and Ivan, while other PSNH workers returned for Jean. It took the 70 or so workers about three days to get to Florida and back each way. Despite the long trip, Pike is happy he got to help and remains very proud of himself and other PSNH workers. (Courtesy Photo)

Pike said he was fortunate to stay in a hotel for his stay, and that they did, in fact, have power themselves. Others from PSNH camped out in a high school for days. Pike said the workers were more than glad to rough it to lend a helping hand to those devastated by hurricanes Frances and Ivan.

“We were happy to give up our comfort,” Pike said. “It was getting really desperate for those people. I was very glad to help out.”

Pike stayed in Saint Augustine and Palatka, Fla., where he worked extremely long days. He was surprised to see that every building had some damage. Pike said he came to realize how dependent society has become on electricity, and how crucial it is to get the power back on.

Without power, residents couldn’t cook food. They couldn’t buy food that needed to be refrigerated or frozen because stores didn’t have power to freeze the food and it was almost impossible to find ice. Gas was extremely limited and lines for gas and food could be miles long. There was no air conditioning in the intense heat. ATMs didn’t work. Roofs and carports peeled off of houses like the tops of cans. Shingles flew around like mosquitoes.

“Honestly it’s kind of a mixed emotion,” Pike said. “To see the damage is almost unbelievable. To see what people had to endure was heartbreaking.”

LINE-UP – Electric trucks and other utilities trucks drove around Florida in convoys once they got their assignments. Florida Power and Light would give public service workers their assignments and tell them where to go. Florida residents wouldn’t be surprised to see long trains of about 60 trucks driving between jobs. (Courtesy Photo)

Despite the sadness in his heart, Pike was filled with pride for having helped. Pike said New Hampshire residents should be proud that the “best of New Hampshire” ran to the aid of an ailing state.

Will Pike be running back? He hopes not. Pike said he was more than happy to return home, and wouldn’t volunteer himself for duty again anytime in the near future. Pike is just happy he was of assistance in early September when PSNH got the call.