DADE CITY, Fla. — Millions of Floridians were without power following Hurricane Milton's landfall. In the days since, millions have also had their power restored.
That's thanks to the thousands of lineworkers from all over the country who traveled to Florida after back-to-back major hurricanes battered the Gulf Coast. In many cases, work conditions were less-than-ideal — even dangerous.
In one viral case, a group of linemen is now receiving much-deserved recognition for their efforts.
As video shared by Withlacoochee River Electric Cooperative (WREC) shows, they were faced with chest-deep water as they worked to restore power. Even more impressive, their efforts were to restore power for just two customers.
"The conditions our linemen are facing are challenging, but their dedication is unwavering," the power company wrote in a Facebook post.
Making matters worse, the area is known to have alligators and snakes.
"We deeply appreciate their sacrifices and commitment to ensuring everyone has electricity again."
In a press release, WREC identified the "heroes" as members of the Dixie Electric Membership Corporation in Louisiana. While wading through the chest-high water, the linemen would also dive under to locate wire ends and finish their repairs.
"The bravery and commitment of these crews were truly commendable," WREC wrote.
In Hurricane Milton's immediate aftermath, the company says 170,000 of its 260,000 customers were without power. As of 2:00 p.m. Friday, WREC was only reporting 16 outages.