Let’s Go Back Into The Time Machine…,
With Me Coming Back From Los Angeles California, Las Vegas Nevada, A High School Football Game In Hamilton NJ, A NY Giants Victory Over The Philadelphia Eagles In Philly’s Lincoln Financial Field No Less; & Truly Just A Great Week Of Vacation, I Neglected 2 Write About This The Other Day!!!
A Year Ago Yesterday I Was Deployed Down 2 Our Southern Electric Division In Lawrenceville, NJ 2 Man Their Storeroom In Anticipation Of A Major Hurricane. I Had Worked Down There B4 On Storm Duty, But I Don’t Think NE Of Us Was Prepared 4 The Extent Of What We Were Going 2 Deal With 4 This During This Historic Event That Became Known As Hurricane Sandy!!!
I Landed There On Sunday Morning October 28th, 2012 @ 7AM…, & I DID NOT Leave Until Wednesday Noon Time November 21st!!! I Started Out Doing 16 Hour Days From 7AM – 11PM For The 1st 3 Weeks…, Then Finally Tapered Off To 12 Hours Days From 7AM – 7PM As I Split Hours W/The Guy Who Came In 2 Relieve Me On The Overnights!!!
Now Remember…, This May B Standard Operating Procedures 4 Our Electric Delivery Folks, But Ever Since I Crossed Over Into Management, OT Has Been Slim & None!!! That Very 1st 16 Hour Sunday I Worked..., Was More OT In That 1 Day Then I Had ALL YEAR LONG!!! LMAO!!!
My Manager Actually Called Me The Last Wednesday I Was There 1nce We Got Off The Daily 11:30AM Teleconference 2 Thank Me 4 My Service 2 That Organization As I Was Totally Removed From My Own Gas Operations. He Sent Me Home 4 The Rest O’ The Day (with pay) So I Could Relax, Get Myself Physically 2gether, & Report Back 2 My Regular JOB That Thursday Morning!!!
As U Can C…, I Was Plucked Away From My Desk Doing My Normal JOB & Thrown Headfirst Into The Electric Delivery Business (which is not my strength) 4 A 4 Week Stretch During The Most Incredible Event In The History Of Our Company!!! The Only Thing That Saved Me Was That I Was Sent Into A Great Group Of People!!!
Of The 4 Storekeepers I Worked With I Knew Jim Who Used 2 Drive A Truck 2 Springfield When I Was The Supervisor Of The Gas State Meter Shop, Kevin Knew Of Me Bcuz He Came From Springfield B4 Landing In Electric Delivery & He Stayed In Contact W/The Guys There Who Had Given Him The 411 On Me, & Ms. Gayle The Chief Who Had Ties 2 All My Boyz In Palisades So I Felt Like I Knew Her Already, (plus she’s a sister) So We Automatically Connected On Common Ground!!!
Of The 4 Storekeepers I Worked With I Knew Jim Who Used 2 Drive A Truck 2 Springfield When I Was The Supervisor Of The Gas State Meter Shop, Kevin Knew Of Me Bcuz He Came From Springfield B4 Landing In Electric Delivery & He Stayed In Contact W/The Guys There Who Had Given Him The 411 On Me, & Ms. Gayle The Chief Who Had Ties 2 All My Boyz In Palisades So I Felt Like I Knew Her Already, (plus she’s a sister) So We Automatically Connected On Common Ground!!!
It DID NOT Take Me Long 2 Get Into A Routine, Establish A Rhythm, & Fully Integrate Myself Into The Electric Business!!! The Team Down There Xspecially Johnny & Doris Took Good Care Of Me 2 Make Sure I Wasn’t Left Off On An Island By Myself!!!
As Soon As I Got My 1st Catered Meal Of The Day…, I Was DEFINITELY GOOD 2 GO Bcuz I Knew I Had Landed Into Something Really, Really, Kewl!!! I Met A Cast Of Characters Down There Who Made Everyday Interesting (slow motion sue, the ice queen val, wendy i am who i am, judy who r u, yuliya if u need ne help, krazy craig, customer ops michelle, mr. ambrose, the maintenance shop guys, & the senior leaders) The Mutual Aid Crews (utility workers from across the country responding 2 help us out during this event) Were All Comical!!!
Sidebar: 3 Folks Down In That Area Actually Passed Away Who I Came Into Contact With…, So It Just Proves Again How Fleeting Life Is & Why We Must NJoy & Live Life 2 The Fullest!!!
More Importantly, Even As Many Of Our Own Folks Were W/O Electric Power &/Or Gas Service…, We Got Up 2 Answer The Bell 2 Help Serve Our Over 1 Million Electric Customers As Well As Like 25,000 Gas Customers Who Were W/O Service!!! We Lost Like 75-90% Of Our Service Territory & That Was MIND BOGGLING 2 COMPREHEND!!!
I Only Lost Power 1 Day In My Own Home, I Was In A Hotel Room (nice hotel) 3 Days W/O Power, Not 2 Mention Besides The Normal Bumrush On All The Grocery Stores 4 Supplies Was The Fact That There Was NO GAS Available As Major Refineries Lost Power & The State Of NJ Instituted Gas Rationing 4 The 1st Tyme Since Probably The 70’s!!!
God Forbid If We Ever Really Had A Major Disaster Of Epic Proportions I Can C The Very Fabric Of What We Call Civilization COMPLETELY Falling Apart As Each Person Takes On A “ME FIRST” Mentality & 2 Hell W/Everybody Else!!! So Get UR Emergency Supplies Ready NOW As We Get Ret 2 Go Into The Winter Season!!!
LQQKING Back In Hindsight, The Destruction & Devastation That Ravaged Our Jersey Shore Line Was Krazy!!! The Water Swells That Came Inland & Destroyed Areas No One Thought Could Get Hit Was Amazing!!! & Just The Sheer Work Involved With Restoring That Many Customers From A Utility Repair Perspective Was Incredibly Daunting!!!
But We Did It, We Got Thru It, & We Survived 2 Tell A Tale That We Can Discuss 4 Many Years 2 Come!!! This Was Truly A Tyme I Was Incredibly Proud 2 Work 4 My Company Bcuz We Came Thru W/Flying Colors Compared 2 The Other Utilities In The State!!! Now..., As Much Fun As I Had..., & As Krazy As It Was…, I Hope We NEVER Have 2 Go Thru Something On That Scale Ever Again, But If We Do…., I’M READY!!!
Take A Minute 2 Thank UR Lucky Stars U Came Thru Relatively Unscathed & Then Reflect How On How Hurricane Sandy Impacted & Changed UR Life!!! How It Forced U 2 Interact W/Folks U Would Not Normally Come Into Contact With…, & What Ramifications Still Linger On 2day!!!
Because A Year Ago 2day…, I Stood Out On The Lawrenceville Platform W/A Bunch Of Folks & Watched The Trees Off In The Distance Bending Sidewayz As The Wind Picked Up & All Hell Was Beginning 2 Break Loose!!! Not 2 Mention That Lil’ Northeastner Snowstorm That Came In Right Behind Sandy & Added Just A Lil’ Mo’ Fuel 2 The Fire!!!
Just A Mere Year Ago 2day…, Our Lives Were TOTALLY Different Than They R 2day!!! We Were Changed By The Events That Happened That Day..., Much Like We Were When 9-11 Hit…, So Please NJoy UR Day 2day & NEVER 4get What U Went Thru No Matter How Big Or Small!!! CIAO!!!
Peep This Link 2 Unna-Stand Our Hustle!!!
Kudos 2 My Potna In Crime Brotha DeVon 4 Delivering Big Tyme!!!
Kudos 2 My Potna In Crime Brotha DeVon 4 Delivering Big Tyme!!!
The Brother AJ
