I hope all my fellow Kossacks will forgive a small essay.
I just received a text from my daughter-in-law (who, btw, is expecting our first grandchild!)
She is formerly from New Jersey and her parents and relatives still live there. She was
telling me, with a bit of amazement, that utility workers from Ohio were in her parent's neighborhood and a friend had reported that Alabama utility workers on their street.
With a husband indirectly involved in the electric utility business, I know that this type of cooperation always happens after a catastrophic event, but it made me remember something from twenty years ago that I want to share with you:
The Miami Herald printed a full page ad, a few days after Hurricane Andrew, taken out by SCE&G, which serves Charleston SC and other areas. It's been many years so I am paraphrasing, but the gist of the message was that FPL (Florida Power & Light) crews were ALWAYS the first to arrive when South Carolina needed them, and that SCE&G was happy to be able to return the favor. I remember, post-Andrew, that many utility companies had crews there for months, helping FPL to restore power and the electrical infrastructure.
I remember crying when I read that letter to South Floridians and I am crying now as I retell the story, because it reminds me of how this country can pull together when people of good conscience and of good will are in charge. And let's not forget that while these crews are union, management of the utility companies understands that there is a duty to help. I am not suggesting that it is a totally altruistic decision but rather an understanding that you should "do unto others as you would have them do unto you" in the context of electric utilities.
I have no illusions that this foretells a nationwide outpouring of love and support for all of our fellow Americans. I just wanted to share a nice story. We need nice stories. And we all need to remember the Golden Rule.