Eight Marietta utility workers are in Albany helping the area recover from the deadly tornadoes that ripped through this weekend.
At least 15 people in South Georgia were killed in the storm, four of those at Big Pines Estates mobile home park in Dougherty County where the Marietta crew are now.
The eight Marietta Power and Water crew members are doing basic work like replacing transformers, but the real goal is "completely rebuilding line structures," said Lindsey Wiles, spokeswoman for the city of Marietta.
That means setting new installation poles, pulling new lines, affixing new transformers — whatever disappeared or was damaged by high winds and fallen trees.
And Albany is still reeling from storms the first few days of the year that caused more than $50 million in damage.
"We've been begging for help from FEMA (since Jan. 2) – the reason the federal government exists," said Dougherty County Chairman Christopher S. Cohilas. "This community was crippled. Our families have been hurting, needing help for some time."
Along with the workers, Marietta sent down three bucket trucks and one digger truck to help Albany Utilities.
“Our crews will stay in Albany until the job is done and I want to thank our employees who have left their families at home while they help Georgians in their time of need,” Marietta Mayor Steve Tumlin said.
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