Compiled by The Bedford Citizen
State Representative Ken Gordon (D-Bedford) visited Monday evening’s Selectman’s meeting to deliver State House commendations to four men with strong Bedford connections – John Boland, Rich Fedele, James Foster, and Jason Jacoby — who were among those providing mutual aid to the thousands left in the dark after Hurricane Irma in Florida and Hurricane Maria in St. Thomas, USVI.
Click twice in the image gallery below to see a larger image each of the linemen with State Rep. Ken Gordon – Images (c) JMcCT, 2017 all rights reserved
According to reports in The Virgin Islands Consortium, more than 800 visiting linemen were in the islands through early December, hoping to meet the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority’s goal of restoring electrical service to 90 percent of the territory by Christmas.
Bedford’s linemen traveled to St. Thomas in early November. Upon arrival, they worked 14 to 16-hour days and were billeted in cramped quarters aboard a cruise ship under contract to FEMA to house National Guard and emergency responders. They followed a grueling schedule with breakfast on the ship at 5 am, then a 5:45 shuttle to the island before starting work at 6 am. Early in December, the workday ended around 7 pm, but later in the month, work days were extended to 16 hours.The men returned to Bedford last week.
Fedele, Foster and Jacoby traveled to Florida earlier this year to help restore power after Hurricane Irma – Click to read their story.
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