Independence Power and Light crew rescues flood victim

Three members of an eight-man electric line crew from Independence Power & Light who are in Louisiana to repair damage after Hurricane Gustav helped rescue a woman Wednesday from flood waters.

According to information from the city, IPL linemen Ron Mareda, Kip Rorrer, and Mark Boyer went out on storm recovery Wednesday morning in Louisiana, and found the woman trapped by flood waters on the roof of her car. 

The three are part of two four-man electric line crews who left Independence Monday morning to aid in power restoration efforts in and around Alexandria, Louisiana. A fourth member, Garrett Crews, also aided in the recovery efforts.

IPL Transmission and Distribution Manager Larry Starr, who is also in Alexandria, said the men came upon what they thought was a traffic jam with other utility vehicles blocking an interstate exit ramp road, but instead found a woman in a distressing situation.

Mareda, Rorrer and Boyer, a former lifeguard, went into the water while Crews remained on dry land to help get his co-workers and the woman out of the water, Starr said.

“When our men assessed the situation they literally jumped right in and rescued a woman who was trapped on top of her car by flood waters, which had already covered her ankles,” Starr said in the statement. “It was standing water that had accumulated under an overpass and was about eight feet deep.”

Mareda is an IPL foreman; and Boyer, Rorrer and Crews are linemen. Starr said the recovery was finished in five minutes.

IPL is among six Missouri municipal electric utilities which are responding to mutual aid requests for assistance from areas affected by the hurricane. While the line crews are expected to remain in Louisiana for several days, it is unknown exactly how long they will be gone.

IPL sent equipment consisting of two overhead line trucks and two bucket trucks.

“We should be helping our neighbor when they are in trouble. Sometimes we are the ones who need the assistance,” said Leon Daggett, IPL director. “It’s just the right thing to do.”