OFF THE CUFF: My hat's off to Empire

— I just read a story about Empire District Electric Co., which supplies power for much of the Eagle Observer area - a very positive story. The firm has received national recognition, an “Emergency Recovery Award” for outstanding power restoration efforts in the wake of last May’s deadly tornado in Joplin.

Local Empire employees had a part in those efforts which can best be described as “superhuman” considering the totality of the devastation that struck so much of that city.

The award came from the Edison Electric Institute, based in Washington, D.C.; and the EEI president, in presenting the award, said, “Our hearts go out to Empire’s workers and others in the company’s service territory who lost loved ones and neighbors.The dedication, loyalty and determination of Empire’s workers clearly permeate the entire organization and set the highest possible standards for the industry.”

Empire faced unimaginable and incomprehensible challenges during the weeks and months following the tornado. And the work continues. With communication disrupted and with many of Empire’s employees personally affected, working in the dark of night with flashlights, assessing the damage and forming a rebuilding plan seemed an impossibility. But they did it.

Homes, businesses, schools, hospitals were all totally destroyed or damaged. The company lost some 4,000 poles, thousands of transformers, 100 miles of line and substations.

Help came from otherutilities and contractors. Workers labored 16-hour days, all the while never knowing if they would find an injured person or one of the more than 160 victims who lost their lives. I could go on and on.

Reading of the superhuman efforts at Joplin reminded me of the weeklong ice storm much of the Eagle Observer area suffered several years ago. How the Empire employees labored long hours in unpleasant conditions to bring service to our area as quickly as possible!

It is thus when any type of natural disaster occurs or when power is disrupted by accidents or malfunctions. And how often we fail to respond with gratitude for the work the workers accomplish!

So, my hat’s off to Empire. Well done as you continue in the restoration work that continues through blocks and blocks of destroyed Joplin!

Dodie Evans is editor emeritus of the Westside Eagle Observer and may be contacted by e-mail at [email protected].

Opinion, Pages 5 on 03/28/2012