DUECO Provides Equipment to Support Hurricane Sandy Cleanup

Nov. 13, 2012
DUECO, Inc. has customers throughout the East Coast and elsewhere in the country working their DUECO-built trucks and crews hard to restore power throughout the area in the wake of Hurricane Sandy

DUECO, Inc. has customers throughout the East Coast and elsewhere in the country working their DUECO-built trucks and crews hard to restore power throughout the area in the wake of Hurricane Sandy.

Responding to a call November 2 from a major utility in the Northeast, DUECO’s Pennsylvania branch team members have been servicing trucks in Long Island, New York, repairing trucks and performing maintenance. DUECO shipped over 100 new trucks to this customer between June 2011 and June 2012 and the trucks and linemen have been busy servicing customers.

DUECO service technicians are doing everything from aerial device to truck chassis-related maintenance and repairs such as changing filters, fuel pumps, lights and tires.

“With all the hours and chaos, it’s quite an experience,” says DUECO service technician Leo Wade. “We’re doing a little bit of everything at the same time and the trucks are coming in bunches.”

According to Wade, the customer appreciates DUECO’s critical support of their equipment. “They are bending over backwards,” explained Wade. “They’re supplying the parts we need and are taking care of us, including meals.”

As for shelter, the first night out, the DUECO crew slept in their trucks, as many who are supporting the efforts are doing. Due to no-vacancy hotel situations and exorbitant hotel prices, the crew of three is now sleeping in a pop-up camper in wash bay of a customer facility, or in the parking lot when the garage is full with vehicles being serviced.

In addition to keeping the trucks up and running around the clock to restore the power along the East Coast, DUECO’s crew is providing vital relief to linemen who can take a break while their truck is being serviced. Two more mechanics were dispatched, with a rental camper, to aid in the effort on Friday, November 9.