WISCONSIN — Crews from We Energies traveled to California to restore light to people who lost power after a deadly storm, but they never expected to be a light themselves.
About 50 workers from We Energies and its sister company, Wisconsin Public Service, were on a power restoration trip in central California. They finished the job early, ensuring hundreds of thousands of people had service again, and were on the way home to Wisconsin when a near-tragedy unfolded before their eyes.
“We wrapped up our power restoration efforts in central California and had just started our trip home when a driver of an SUV lost control, shot across the freeway median and went airborne down a 75-foot embankment,” said Jeb Loth, We Energies operations supervisor.
Loth was part of a five-truck convoy when the car flew through the air. He and his team immediately pulled over on US-99, near Livingston, to help the woman in danger.
“The SUV landed on its side in a pool of water,” Loth recalled. “Luckily we had easy access to a ladder and were able to get the driver out and up the muddy embankment. If we had not seen the crash, it’s possible no one would have seen the vehicle down the embankment.”
The crews got the driver out of the car and to safety in one of their trucks. They were all skilled in first aid and safety training, according to We Energies.
They planned to stay with the driver until paramedics arrived when another accident ensued.
Two vehicles on the freeway lost control, colliding with each other as they crashed into a We Energies bucket truck. The We Energies truck was stationary and pulled over at the time of the multi-vehicle crash.
The crews tended to the people in the vehicles, providing medical aid until paramedics and other first responders made it to the scene.
“We went to California to help. Obviously we did not expect to help in this way, but we are happy we were in the right place at the right time,” Loth said.
The We Energies team is coming home life-saving heroes.
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