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Twelve Boone and Co-Mo Electric Cooperative linemen are on their way to Louisiana to help in the restoration effort in the wake of Hurricane Isaac.
　
The six Co-Mo men will be riding in three supply-loaded trucks to help bring power back to the nearly 56,000 members of Dixie Electric Membership Corporation, whose electricity was knocked out after torrential rains and hurricane-force winds this week.　
　
"This right here is why these guys do what they do," said Co-Mo operations manager Chuck Tuttle as the linemen loaded up their gear Thursday morning. "It’s why they become linemen — to help people when there’s a big need like this."　
　
Ken Johnson, Co-Mo CEO and general manager, said he’s proud of the linemen who are going to help, and he affirmed that the cooperative will maintain sufficient staff at both of its offices to handle any issues that could happen this weekend from the remnants of the hurricane.　
　
Heavy rains are expected throughout the Labor Day weekend.　
　
The linemen will be rallying in Blytheville, Ark., Thursday evening and then heading into Louisiana on Friday. Tuttle said he has been told the linemen should expect to be there at least a week. The Boone and Co-Mo linemen are part of a contingent of crews from across Missouri that has been enlisted to help.　
　
"One of the cooperative principles is Cooperation Among Cooperative," Johnson said. "This effort embodies that principle. When members in other cooperatives need help, we’ll help. And we know there are other cooperatives out there that have, would and will come to our aid when we need it."　
　
Tuttle said the crews in the hurricane zone typically work 18-hour days. The conditions in Louisiana could be especially trying, he said, as flooding in swampy areas bring some pretty dangerous critters into areas they don’t belong.　
　
"You don’t put your hand anywhere before you look to see what’s there," said Nathan Graham, a lineman who helped in the restoration efforts after Hurricane Katrina but will be staying at home this time. "Snakes, alligators, you name it, you’ve got to be careful for it."　
　
Messages of support for the linemen can be left at facebook.com/comoelectric or emailed to communications manager John Agliata at jagliata@co-mo.coop.
　
Dixie Electric Membership Corporation — or DEMCO — is the largest electric cooperative in Louisiana. It currently serves more than 98,000 members in the seven southeast parishes of Louisiana.