ELECTRICITY. IN this day and age, there is only so much one can do, and without utility providers such as Tullahoma Utilities Authority (TUA), our emergency services would struggle. Utility crews are crucial in saving lives during emergencies and natural disasters. They work tirelessly to restore power and water services, ensuring the safety and well-being of communities. During severe weather events such as storms, tornadoes, or hurricanes, utility crews are on the front lines, braving dangerous conditions to repair infrastructure and restore essential services. Their quick response and expertise help prevent prolonged power outages, enabling hospitals, emergency services, and individuals with medical needs to function. These crews also play a critical role in preventing accidents by identifying and repairing potential hazards in electrical systems. Their dedication and skills make a significant impact in saving lives and restoring normalcy after a crisis.
Long-time TUA employee Kyle Riddle knows all too well just how critical restoring power can be. For over a decade, Riddle has gained firsthand experience locally and by assisting in disaster-ridden situations, such as hurricanes and other natural disasters in neighboring states. While the job is dangerous, Riddle knows that his and his crew’s work saves lives.
Riddle works as a general foreman over construction for TUA. He is behind the desk and out in the field, supervising three construction groups.
“I like being out in the field with my crews,” he said. “I’m young, so I feel like I have a lot left and enjoy working outside. I like being able to restore power to people. We definitely see the good and the bad. With storm work and such, there is an urgency to get everyone taken care of and power restored. They’re happy to see us working in the rain, so I like that part about it. I also like the troubleshooting aspect of it. When people have an issue, you go out there and figure it out, and you can repair it.”
Being a part of the crew is no little thing. The position requires over 8,000 hours of training to ensure each crew member is adequately trained.
“You go through a four-year apprenticeship,” explained Riddle. You start as a ground man, then a first-year apprentice, and work your way up. You can’t start day one working up in the bucket on 7200, which is our system voltage. That’s pretty high voltage. You have to learn your way up. You learn material, safety, and how everything works from the ground up. While it’s fun, we do our best to ensure that all our crew is properly trained and equipped.”
It’s also important to note that just around 12 crew members ensure the power of more than 20,000 residents. Riddle said he hopes people understand that each crew member is always working diligently to keep Tullahoma up and running.
“We just want people to be understanding,” he said. “We’re either there, or we are on the way. We start out working the larger outages and then whittle them down to smaller outages. We are trying to get power back to as many people as we can in the shortest amount of time. Patience is something we appreciate and need. We want to get you back up and running as soon as possible, but there are only so many of us.”
Riddle also credits his crew, which he said is “tight-knit.” According to Riddle, each member loves their job and serving the Tullahoma community to the best of their ability.
Restoring power has also extended far beyond Tullahoma. Riddle and his crew have helped restore power after several hurricanes and natural disasters in neighboring states.
“One of the worst we’ve helped with is Hurricane Michael in 2018,” he said. “We went to Blountstown, Florida, and it was completely devastated. I’ve never really seen any kind of damage like that.”
Riddle added that when on rescue missions such as these, they are usually on-site for around two weeks, working 16-18 hour days to restore power and help in these devastated areas.
“They are some long weeks, and it’s hard to be away from home for so long, but seeing what we can do for those who need us is worth it. The other cool thing is seeing and meeting other utility crews. You get to talk to people from other places and see how they do things. It’s definitely a tight-knit group because there are so few of us.”
Whether restoring power after a severe storm in Tullahoma or helping to clear out devastation after a hurricane in Florida, Riddle said it’s all about keeping calm and getting the job done.
“It makes me feel good to be able to help people with whatever I can,” he said. “People rely on electricity for everyday life and in emergencies, and whatever the situation, I am working to make sure they have the electricity to do it.” GN
