OKC Standard

When Wes Bennett loads up and heads out to volunteer to help communities across the state – and even the nation – one thing is always on his mind.

Home.

“My motivation is simple: helping people,” said Bennett, a veteran Electric Crew Supervisor with Edmond Electric. “I think about my wife or kids or grandparents at home in a tough situation, maybe without power for a long time, and I know how much I would appreciate someone coming to help them. So, when there is a need or an opportunity to help, you load up and go, because you’d want the same thing for your family.”

The latest call Bennett and linemen from Edmond Electric answered was with the Light Up Navajo project, a mutual-aid program to extend electricity to homes in the Navajo Nation without the infrastructure to get that service. The initiative was created in 2019 through a unique partnership between the American Public Power Association (APPA) and Navajo Tribal Utility Authority (NTUA). Electric line workers from throughout the United States recently traveled to the Navajo Nation to help connect the homes of Navajo families to the electric grid.

Bennett and a team from Edmond Electric traveled to Chinle, Arizona as part of Light Up Navajo IV, working alongside line personnel from the Oklahoma Municipal Power Authority (OMPA), as well as NTUA electric crews to assist in line construction within the Navajo Nation.

“I first heard about the program four or five years ago,” Bennett said. “Once I heard about it, I thought, ‘This is amazing – we have to go!’ When you can help and make a difference, then, really, it’s kind of your duty to do that. And, you can’t look through the yellow pages and find linemen who have the skill and training to do this, like looking for a plumber or electrician. These are specific skills that can make a real impact on people’s lives, so when you can make a difference you really should make the effort.”

Bennett led a crew of Edmond Electric linemen that included Jason Smith, Daniel Ketch, Travis Matthews and Chance Tipken. Working for a week, alongside OMPA crews and a crew from Murray County, they were able to put in place infrastructure and bring electrical service to nearly 30 homes.

Bennett described the area as “very, very isolated,” and the need great because of a combination of economic and cultural influences. And, Bennett said, the impact of bringing reliable power to the families in that area was apparent and immediate.

“I’ve been part of Edmond Electric crews that have responded to crisis situations many times,” he said. “That’s part of our culture – to be there to help whenever we’re needed. But, it’s one thing to go help someone who’s lost power; showing up to help someone who has never had power was, honestly, mind-blowing.”

With power available, the homes the Edmond Electric crew touched now can connect to a well for daily fresh water – and not to have to haul water daily – and have service available to make things like lighting in the home, a refrigerator to keep food stored fresh and safe, and indoor plumbing a reality for the first time.

“The things I take for granted and we all take for granted – when I come home from work, I expect to be able to turn on a switch and have lights and turn on a faucet and have water,” Bennett said. “But, for so many families we saw, it’s a daily effort to have the things needed just to survive. It really puts things in perspective.”

Of course, volunteering to help is nothing new for Edmond Electric and Bennett. He was part of crews from the City of Edmond utility that traveled to Florida to help with communities impacted by Hurricane Ian in 2022. Even while this crew was in Arizona, Edmond Electric crews rolled out to help communities in Oklahoma that were impacted by recent storms.

“We have great partnerships with APPA and municipalities across the state and country,” said Glenn Fisher, Director of Edmond Electric. “There have been times when we have needed help, and we know we can count on people pitching in and helping out, and so when we have an opportunity to be part of a great cause, we won’t hesitate.

“This crew is typical of that spirit of community and service we see daily at Edmond Electric. There never was a question of if we should help, but more how and when can we help? Whether it’s here in Edmond, in Oklahoma, Florida, Arizona or anywhere, the people who work here at Edmond Electric are always ready and willing to go and do what we can do to help make a difference.”

The results from this first trip – and reactions from the community in Arizona – have Bennett thinking about a return mission soon.

“The welcome we received was awesome,” he said. “The people we interacted with were so thankful and excited that we were there. We had an appreciation dinner Thursday night and some of the families we met and worked with were there. When they stood and told their stories about how long they had waited to get power, and how it was going to change their lives, several became very emotional.

“I’ve been doing this for 26 years, and I don’t believe I have ever seen an honor that was more heartfelt than what we heard that night. It was overwhelming.”

Photos from the trip are available at this link. Learn more about the Light Up Navajo program at www.ntua.com/light-up-navajo.html.

Original source can be found here.