It’s been two weeks since Manitoba’s “storm of the century” took the province by surprise, and left residents without power for extended periods of time.  It’s estimated that this storm impacted over 200,000 Manitobans, showering them with the heavy snowfall that downed hydro towers, poles and lines across southern Manitoba. 

During the past two weeks, a staunch army of IBEW 2034 members has been front and centre in restoring power to the province, thereby re-establishing the safety and security of its residents.  These members are true heroes of this storm and will have gone unnoticed by many.  But we should all pause for a moment and recognize the massive burden that IBEW members gladly took upon themselves during this time.

The Province declared the event an emergency, and Manitoba Hydro mobilized its IBEW staff.  Many of those who were not called upon, volunteered to go work in the most adverse situations imaginable.  They did so knowing full well that the conditions were extreme, and that the work would be gruelling.  Many of those who volunteered were disappointed when they could not be used because they were needed in their home locations to ensure safety and reliability for the remainder of the power grid.

Those who were deployed started working 16-hour days, and were later reduced to 14-hour days.  For those out in the field, work conditions and camp conditions were often less than ideal, but IBEW 2034 members persevered.  Such was the commitment of members that one individual worked 30 hours before taking a meal break, and others did not want to leave the worksite even though they had been working 21 days in a row.

In the two weeks that have passed, over 99% of the outages in the province have been resolved.  This has been a massive undertaking.  But more importantly, it has been an immense team effort.  Although we are most likely to see the men and women who work outside, we must never forget the “behind the scenes” heroes that keep the jobs afloat.  From the Stores Staff who maintain the supply chain that provides the outside workers with the materials necessary to repair and restore lines, to the Dispatchers, Office Support Workers, and everyone else involved, - it was a Team Effort.

The success of IBEW 2034 members in protecting our province during this critical time is something for which we should be very thankful.  The dedication and commitment of our members, coupled with the application of their professional skills to this provincial emergency, helped our province get back on track as quickly as possible.  We need to remember and appreciate the care and devotion IBEW 2034 members bring to the job every day – storm or not.