RUTHERFORD COUNTY, TN - UPDATED: Middle Tennessee Electric (MTE) line crews safely returned home after assisting in restoration efforts across East Tennessee and North Carolina following Hurricane Helene.… That was MTE Public Relations Coordinator Amy Byers. Additional MTE crews were dispatched to North Carolina last week to relieve their teammates and continue helping those in need.
As one would imagine, there is a lot more that goes into repairs than the replacement of a power line or utility pole, as explained by Byers… Currently, about 12 MTE crewmembers remain in hurricane devastated areas where they continue to help.
Rebuilding the electrical grid, clearing debris and repairing waterlines requires immense manpower, and changing weather conditions, including snow, have complicated everything… CBS News Correspondent Jim Krasula…
Meanwhile, search efforts continue for those still missing… Jessica Meidinger says her 58-year-old mother was ripped from her husband’s arms in the floods… Her mother Kim Ashby, is one of many who remain missing in North Carolina.
It was a similar story in East Tennessee, where fire fighters from the Murfreesboro area joined in on recovery efforts… Rutherford County Fire & Rescue Chief Larry Farley said his men are now back and reports indicate the RCFRD helped recover around 4-people who perished in the raging waters that hit the area of Erwin, Tennessee.
Firemen from Rutherford County, Murfreesboro and LaVergne Fire & Rescue Departments all participated in the recovery efforts after Hurricane Helene swept through the south.
Additionally, the Consolidated Utilities Department (CUD) of Rutherford County sent a Murfreesboro crew to assist with water infrastructure repairs. Working near the Pigeon River, they installed over 1,600 feet of iron water lines, while navigating challenging rock conditions. They also placed lines near the French Broad River, installing a gate valve, and using a hoe-ram for difficult sections along Rock Hill Road. The final 400 feet of the line were activated after thorough flushing and testing, according to the CUD.
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