INDIANAPOLIS — From Lineman to Indiana Task Force 1, Hoosiers are stepping up to help those in need in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian.
“Today is the first day that we are trying to find the actual damage and find out where we need to start,” Matthew Burks said.
Burks has been a lineman for Duke Energy for the last six years and it’s a job that he may never quit.
“We have had a lot of wire that we needed to put up from trees that have fallen. Currently, right now we are driving from another transformer outage over here that probably has trees on lines again,” Burks said.
The Bloomington native and the father of four is in Tampa helping to restore power to those who went dark during the storm.
He isn't alone.
Susan Fife and her dog Batman are also Hoosiers who answered the call. They are a pair of more than 30 additional Indiana Task Force 1 members who are on their way to help sift through the damage.
“We train with the team every other weekend. Then we have our own separate training,” Fife said.
The task force has a team of K-9 search specialists. Dogs like Batman are used to finding missing people through scent.
“We train whenever we can to help her develop her skill at finding people, that’s the most important part,” Fife said.
At the end of the day for Burks and Fife, helping those in need is more than just a job — it’s a calling.
“I wanted to come down here so I could make sure that I could help get the lights on,” Burks said.
-
Purdue launches new sports management program amid boom in industry
The Circle City is considered the amateur sports capital of the world, which is why Purdue University is launching a new master's program to make sure people are fully trained to manage the demand.Hamilton County, Town of Sheridan at odds over road funding
Tensions between the town of Sheridan and Hamilton County officials have escalated over road funding responsibilities.Hoosiers rally at the statehouse and urge lawmakers to protect Medicaid
The rally focused on Senate Bill 2 which would require Medicaid recipients to all users to re-apply for Medicaid coverage quarterly.1 person in critical condition following south Indy shooting
One person is in critical condition following a shooting on the south side of Indianapolis on Tuesday.