St茅phan Perreault and his team have been helping restore power in North Carolina since Hurricane Helene hit in late September, and they donB次元官网网址檛 expect to be heading home any time soon.

They are some of the hundreds B次元官网网址� possibly thousands B次元官网网址� of Canadian line workers who have been called into service to help rebuild power grids after Helene and now Hurricane Milton have left millions of Americans in the dark.

Perreault says the line workers have witnessed scenes of devastation from Helene while operating 16 hours per day in challenging conditions that include washed out roads and power grids wiped out by wind and flooding.

B次元官网网址淲e see homes carried away by water, we see cars buried under mud, we see completely destroyed electrical grids,B次元官网网址� he said. Hurricane Helene also caused at least 227 deaths. While Perreault hasnB次元官网网址檛 seen any loss of human life himself, he said the workers have witnessed plenty of tough moments, including meeting distraught people who have lost homes and pets.

Perreault said the teamB次元官网网址檚 work around Asheville, N.C., was starting to near completion when Milton hit. He said some teams have already headed toward northern Florida to help with that storm, which initially left some three million without power, and he expects to follow.

OntarioB次元官网网址檚 Hydro One said Thursday it had sent 50 additional workers to help restore power in Florida after Milton, in addition to the 100 who were sent to the United States after Helene. Nova Scotia Power sent about 35 people to Florida. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 important to help our neighbours and they do the same to support us during major storms here in Nova Scotia,B次元官网网址� the utility said.

Perreault says the pair of companies he works for B次元官网网址� Gagnon Line Construction and Holland Power Service B次元官网网址� have more than 700 people on the ground from several provinces, including Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick. Perreault, who is based in QuebecB次元官网网址檚 Eastern Townships, says many power companies, including Hydro-Qu茅bec and local companies in Sherbrooke, Magog, Coaticook and Jonqui猫re, have allowed their employees to take leave to join the effort in the U.S.

Daniel Dumas of Quebec-based power line company EEA says the teams in North Carolina have been living in difficult conditions, sleeping 16 people to a trailer and eating at a food tent in a makeshift workers camp. Dumas, who was heading to join the team on Friday, said they wake up at 5:30 a.m. and work until 9 or 9:30 p.m. rebuilding the washed-out grid.

But he says theyB次元官网网址檙e encouraged by the gratitude shown to the Canadian crews who are greeted B次元官网网址渓ike heroesB次元官网网址� by citizens who offer food, coffee and thanks. In one memorable moment, a preacher even approached one of the work trucks to bless the crew, he said.

B次元官网网址淲e could fill up pickup trucks with all the doughnuts, and fill a pool with all the coffee weB次元官网网址檝e been given,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淟ots of food, lots of recognition, people are very grateful.B次元官网网址�

Perreault says the same. While the trip has been filled with difficult moments, heB次元官网网址檚 also been struck by small gestures of kindness, including from people who have offered the use of their ATVs and golf carts and brought out snacks and water, and restaurants that have quickly jumped to feed the hungry workers.

Pierre Duval, an employee of Ontario-based Sproule Powerline, was heading from South Carolina to Florida on Friday. He said he saw flooding, downed power lines, and trees that fell on houses, B次元官网网址渓ike you see on TV.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a mess B次元官网网址� just a mess,B次元官网网址� he said.

Duval, from Alfred and Plantagenet, Ont., said the job in recent weeks has been challenging, but itB次元官网网址檚 nothing he isnB次元官网网址檛 used to B次元官网网址� except for the heat. HeB次元官网网址檚 been in the United States for about two weeks so far, and said he had no idea when heB次元官网网址檇 be heading home.

B次元官网网址淥h my God, I donB次元官网网址檛 know,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 call the shots for that. Whenever they release us, we just go back home and itB次元官网网址檚 a three-day drive back.B次元官网网址�