When they close their eyes, every lineworker can go back to relive their most memorable storm. For Bladimir Rodriguez, a general foreman for E-J Electric in Staten Island, New York, Hurricane Maria was an unforgettable experience.
Back in November 2017, he and his team traveled to Puerto Rico to restore power. When they arrived, many of the homes and power poles were simply gone, and the damage was beyond repair. In many locations, the lineworkers had to start from scratch and rebuild.
"It was exhausting and draining, but when we restored power to a customer, the gratitude and emotion and sense of relief made it all worth it," said Rodriguez in his Lifeline profile. "Almost every household had tears of joy running down their faces. It was only the beginning of a new start for them, but I was thrilled to be a part of it."
For our February Line Life podcast, Field Editor Amy Fischbach caught up with Rodriguez, who shared his experiences restoring power in not only Puerto Rico, but also in Louisiana following Hurricane Ida.
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