News

When Jamaica Public Service called for help after Hurricane Melissa devastated nearly 75% of the island’s power grid, electric cooperatives from across the United States stepped forward without hesitation.

An 11-member volunteer lineworker team, coordinated through National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) International, traveled to Jamaica to help restore power and support local crews during a critical time. The team represented six cooperatives: First Electric, Rappahannock, Choptank, Steele-Waseca, Northeast Missouri Electric Power/Northeast Power and Sam Houston Electric. 

Among the First Electric volunteers were Crew Chief John Hawkins of Perryville, returning for his second restoration trip to Jamaica, and Crew Chief Matt Goetz of Jacksonville, who took part in his first hurricane restoration effort on the island. Together, the crew worked long hours under challenging conditions, driven by a shared commitment to service.

This effort was more than restoring lines — it was about restoring hope. When neighbors needed help, the cooperative family answered, proving once again that the power of cooperation reaches far beyond borders.