​10 Years After Sandy: Linemen Remembered For Reconnecting Bucks

BUCKS COUNTY, PA — A decade ago, Superstorm Sandy left close to a million Philadelphia area customers powerless, some for a week or more.

But through it all came the linemen, arriving here from as far away as Louisiana, to bring light to a darkened county landscape.

On this 10th anniversary of the storm, while New Jersey recalls the utter devastation done at the shore - who could forget the surreal images of the Seaside Heights roller coaster sitting in the Atlantic Ocean - it’s the horrendous winds, the fallen trees, the downed power lines and the hum of gas-powered generators that will forever be remembered in the Philadelphia suburbs.

Luckily the flooding that so many had feared, given the region’s experiences with Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee, never materialized.

Instead, the most widespread damage was from fallen trees. Across Bucks County, large trees and tree limbs fell across streets and roads, onto power lines and in some cases onto houses causing significant damage.

Of PECO’s 1.6 million customers in the Greater Philadelphia region, 850,000 were without power at some point, topping the previous record of 520,000 during a 1994 ice storm. At the time, PECO spokeswoman Martha Phan called Sandy “the worst storm in PECO history.”

In the hours and days that followed Sandy’s wrath, it was the sight of literally hundreds of linemen from all parts of the south, the east and the Midwest that brought hope.

At almost every turn, they could be found working along the wires. And the mere sight of them perched high up in their baskets meant that power would soon be restored.

Inspired by their presence, Carversville resident LisaBeth Weber created a video that is still being shared today honoring the utility workers who labored night and day to pull the East Coast out of the dark.

"The first responders - police, fire and EMS - they're often thanked for their work, as they should be," Weber said at the time. "But these linemen, who are working in sometimes really difficult situations, a lot of time, they’re saving lives, too, but no one really says thank you."

Weber wrote the song, "Trouble Man," on Aug. 28, 2011. She'll never forget the date, because it was the day that Hurricane Irene pounded Bucks County.

After the song was written, she attempted to create a video to go with it. But it just didn't feel right, and after awhile, she put the project on the shelf.

"Something was telling me to wait," Weber told Doylestown Patch. "Now, I know why."

When Hurricane Sandy hit Bucks County, Weber's creative fire was rekindled. She surfed the 'net, checking local news websites and the Facebook feeds of her friends and social media circle in and around Doylestown looking for images of the storm's aftermath and cleanup.

She found photos of trees down across Route 202 in New Britain Borough, utility trucks working in Doylestown Borough, and so much more.

A friend, Michael Wood, who works at PPL, also contributed photographs of the company's linemen working.

"I wanted images that really told the universal story, the story of this community of linemen, who really are just responding amazingly to our need," Weber said.

Included in the montage are photos of guys from Gulf Coast Lineman who made the trip north from Louisiana to help restore power in Bucks County. They were working in an area near Weber's home.

Within two days, Weber's video was done. She posted it to YouTube and sent out the link. Weber said she hopes the song and video help tell a story that doesn't often get told.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO

"I have some friends who worked for power companies," she said, "and the work they do is so important. They deserve to be recognized."

Since Sandy, Weber has updated her video to recognize the linemen working the aftermath of Hurricane Ian in Florida. Her song was also featured during the closing credits of the nationally-released John Travolta/Sharon Stone film, “Life on the Line.”

“For all those who responded to Hurricane Sandy, and for all storms past, present, and future, profound thanks for your dedicated service. Thinking of all those affected and wishing you calm after the storm,” said Weber