CL&P crews spotted in Old Lyme

OLD LYME, Conn. (WTNH) -- It's one of the things folks without power look forward to seeing the most: a lineman working to get the lights back on.

In these times of dire need you see them circling the streets, including out of state workers like Chuck Gilmore from Illinois.

"So a little bit of a trek for you to get out here," said News 8's Tina Detelj.

"About two and a half days," said Chuck Gilmore, PAR Electric.

The PAR Electric workers only get a few hours notice, leaving behind their homes and their families.

"A wife and three kids," Nick Edwards, PAR Electric.

The money is good and so is knowing they can help.

"It's a good feeling cause you're helping the public," said Edwards. "I want the same for me if my power was out."

Of the 5,000 line workers and tree crews on the streets more than 1,600 are from out of state.

"These guys train the same all throughout the country so we use the same work practices," said Bob Dubois, CL&P supervisor. "So it's great, they all work great together."

They all know the process whether it's a downed wire on a street or wooded right of way like this one in Old Lyme.

"Kind of stuff people don't usually see," asked Detelj.

"No, this is actually a pretty big event that's actually happened on this line here," said Tom Bongo, CL&P linemen. "It's an old circuit that's been up here for years and things get overgrown, the wind comes through knocks trees down, this what happens."

The out of state workers often work side by side with the Connecticut crews.

"I've never been in Connecticut before so it's a pretty state," said Edwards.

Folks around there hope if he comes again it's for a visit and not for work.