High wire act - hydro plants poles

There are those who consider hydro fair game.
I do not.

For someone who spent 10 days without power in Ice Storm '98, and 30 hours without power in that big North American power shutdown, plus three days without power in August, 2006, due to the hurricane...well, we love our hydro workers, as well as First Responders here in  Ontario.

After the responses to Josephine Loves the Garbage Truck, I knew many would like to see this event.

On the upper left, the crew boss prepares the men before they begin to lift the new pole up to pop it into the hole. We all need a plan of attack!

Here in my small town of Bala, we are raising the roof on a new Habitat for Humanity Muskoka project. Of course, they need a new hydro pole.

I created a separate blog for this building event, as it is a short-term project, and one that I can check on every day.

I find it interesting to look at the photos from day-to-day. You might like them, too, as you can see how a vacant lot becomes a house, thanks to many hands.

Today's post, however, honours those who ensure that we have power.

On this day, Aug. 10th, 2010,  they raised a pole after much hard work.

The prep is extensive. My father-in-law died in 1952, doing such work. I trust that we have learned much from industrial accidents.

These rubber thingies protect the wires. 

For those who like trucks, and my male readers do comment on these! - you can click below and see the videos I made of the big event in Bala.

There had been a fire in the spruce tree the day before, and they had to install taller poles, since the adjacent homeowner would not allow the trees to be cut.

Acting chief, Schneider, deputy Quinton patrol the scene

Our faithful acting Fire Chief, Jim Schneider, could be spotted on the scene today, checking things out.


Habitat Bala #1 hydro truck

 Habitat Bala #2 hydro pole arrives

 Habitat Bala #3 Hydro installing pole




I created a video last year of Hydro crews:
Drilling the Muskoka rock - 2
in order to replace the old poles in our rocky Precambrian Shield. This isn't work for chumps!

Tricky work

They corkscrew it in

High wire act

Dumping in sand at the base

Wires and cherry pickers

The homes have walls now

Mother of all drills

Lots of trees

Attach part A to B

Three poles to go in today

Jenn's new buddy Frank and his pal