Powerful crew came to the rescue

I would like to commend the crew who restored my power on Dec. 2.

My home lost power due to the horrible winds that roared through Southern California last week. A large tree limb broke and tore out the lines from the utility pole behind my home.

I am an elderly woman, and my daughter came down from the Antelope Valley to help me in my time of need (thank goodness my phone still worked). After my first call to the Glendale Water & Power emergency call center, they sent out an inspector. He said they would have someone out that day to fix the lines.

Well, that day came and went, the next day came and went, and still no one came to restore power. I repeatedly called the help center each day, and they assured me someone would be there that day to fix the problem.

On the third day, my daughter saw a crew working on a nearby home’s power lines. She ran to see if there was any way they could come to my house next, as I was really becoming quite desperate.

The crew member my daughter spoke to was very polite and told her that he would speak with his supervisor to see if they could help me. He said they were just finishing up a 36-hour shift.

Lo and behold, the supervisor came to the house and said he would get his crew over there once they finished their current call. By the time my saviors arrived, it was dark and cold, but they performed their duties courteously and professionally (they had to scale the utility pole high above the Verdugo Wash in the dark with only a headlamp).

I know a lot of people that weren’t as fortunate as me (my other daughter who lives in Arcadia was among those who didn’t get power restored until Dec. 6). But, we all must remember that we have to be prepared (myself included) when disaster strikes, and we have to be able to live without some of the modern-day comforts that we take for granted (i.e., electricity).

I might not have had electricity or heat, but I had a roof over my head, a bed to sleep in, food and family to help me. Many people in this world are not as fortunate.

So during this holiday season, remember, if you are reading this, you are one of the fortunate ones.

Merry Christmas, and thank you to those who helped me!

Norma Parker

Glendale