WEBVTT

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Hurricane . He was such a unique storm

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because we are so far inland . Normally ,

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we deal with coastal regions and

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islands . However , we're in the

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mountain sides of North Carolina in a

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river town that had a monstrous amount

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of rain that ended up flooding and

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destroying their cities and then also

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the little communities that are up in

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the mountains . We faced a lot of

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unique challenges but we had to work

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through those items and we found a way

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collectively as a team , not only us

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but the state fema and our contractors

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to really meet the needs of the

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individuals that were impacted by

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hurricane illegal hurricane Helene came

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and made a pretty big impact in

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Asheville area . And we need to restore

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power to the affected communities up in

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the mountainous regions . Most of the

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generators being installed in this

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region are at wastewater pumps ,

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freshwater areas and nursing homes .

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Fema identifies that an incoming storm

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is happening and they give us a mission

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assignment . In turn , we mobilize to

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the site that is going to be the

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affected area and fema brings the

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generators and our contractors must

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bring all the labor equipment supplies

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and materials to the site in order to

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meet the demands and requirements for

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power generation at critical public

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facilities and have life savings , life

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sustaining support at those facilities .

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FEMA is responsible for providing us

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the funding and the mission assignment

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in turn USA goes ahead and works with

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their contractors to bring all the

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labor and equipment to install . But

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before all that happens , USA works

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with the state and FEMA to identify one

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to endless on the critical facilities

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that they deem the most important so we

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can get out to those sites first and

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have that priority generator installed

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as quick as possible . There are

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sometimes logistical challenges that we

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face that are much more complex and we

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have to work with the state and some

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other agencies that help us determine

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the best path forward . Some of our

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hauling and installing teams may see

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down power lines down trees ,

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dilapidated roads as they go out to

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those and they may actually have to be

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diverted into a new route that does

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take that extra time . So the

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logistical challenges are set up as

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we're leaving the GSP S . However , we

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might have to find another route as we

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approach the area because a down bridge

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or a road closure due to poor road

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conditions . A GSB is a generator

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staging based location where we operate

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out of a does provide us the generators

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and fuel tanks . We have our command

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cell here and we work with the state ,

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we see the priority list coming down

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and once the facility is assessed and

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identified with needing a generator ,

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we go ahead and take all those

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generators out to the facilities that

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have been identified that need power .

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We're on a recall notice of six hours

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so we can get to the sites within 21 24

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48 hours . It's a lot to pick up your

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lives and family . But , you know ,

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you're doing it for the greater good of

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our nation . I do this job because it

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makes me feel good . I'm good at it . I

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have a way to communicate with

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individuals and that allows them to

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follow the processes and procedures

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that are in place while delivering

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readiness and hope to the communities .

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It's unfortunate when we have to come

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into these locations because it is a

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devastated time for them . But showing

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that we are here and our forces here to

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help them and give them power , get

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them clean water , get them , the

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hospitals turned back on for life

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saving support . That makes me feel

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good each and every day , the hours are

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long . But you know , you're making an

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impact . So it makes you feel ok when

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you go to bed , you know , you may miss

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a meal , you may miss a day of talking

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to your family , but you're making an

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impact to the community that just lost

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everything . When we install generators

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at critical public facilities . It

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provides and allows lives to move on .

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Go back to normalcy . It provides a

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little bit of hope that these

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individuals have not been forgotten

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about . We are here , we're here to

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assist and we want to go as fast as

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possible and once we get the flip the

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switch of the generator and turn that

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power on , hopefully everyone can rest

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a little bit easier that night .

