Ontario power workers helping relight Florida

FLORIDA - André Cassidy is a Montreal Canadiens fan, but lately even the sound of "Go Leafs Go" has put a smile on his face.

That's because it's been shouted out by Floridians eager to show their appreciation to him and his Hydro One crew. They've been working around the clock for nearly two weeks to restore power to the Sunshine State after Hurricane Wilma left large swaths of it in darkness.

"Everywhere we go, it's `the Canadians are here' and the cheers go up," said Cassidy, 49, a line supervisor from Tweed, north of Belleville.

"When people get their power back on and they're so appreciative... it makes you feel great," he said in a phone interview from Ft. Lauderdale. "One lady was very upset but when we got the lights on, she broke down in tears — they were tears of joy."

The 170 Hydro One workers from across Ontario aren't the only ones to receive warm tributes; so have the 14 workers from Veridian Connections.

Shortly after the Category 3 storm slammed into Florida Oct. 24, knocking out power to more than 6 million customers, Florida Power and Light (FPL) requested the help of workers from 33 states and Canada.

The crews from Ontario who responded are the only Canadians there and are among up to 18,000 workers who have helped restore power.

Both crews are expected to return home within a week. Meanwhile, all costs, including wages, are covered by FPL.

"We literally could not have done this and cannot be doing this without the support of assisting utilities and contractors," FPL spokesman Tim Pagel said. All the customers impacted by Wilma had power restored.

Watching the night skyline flicker brighter as power is restored has been rewarding, Rob Kocot of Veridian said from Miami while taking a break from fixing a utility pole in 35C heat.

Water-damaged homes are missing doors, roofs and windows. Streets remain littered with tree branches, broken power lines and electrical wires.

Days for Kocot and the others begin at 5 a.m."We leave when it's dark and arrive when it's dark, from door to door it's 16 hours," said Kocot, adding he's looking forward to returning home and getting some rest. But in the meantime, Floridians' gratitude keeps him going.

Cassidy agrees. During a recent a torrential downpour, a man ran up to his utility truck, which bears a Canadian flag, to give him a thank-you card.