When the call came for more help in Bolivia, Linemen Timmy Williams and Derek Avery, along with several others from North Carolina, answered the call. This is the second trip for the South River EMC linemen, but this time it was different, instead of bringing power to a remote village, they were restoring facilities destroyed by the 2019 fires in the Bolivian Amazon.

“They are limited in tools and equipment because of the expense in getting them over there (to Bolivia). But, the men over there work hard and are good workers with what they do have.”

“The first trip was in the mountains, so the elevation was a major problem,” said Avery. “This second trip was in the Amazon (rain forest), so everything was lush and green.”

A crew was assembled late last year, to include Avery and Williams, to help with restoration efforts related to fires that took place last fall in the Amazon region of La Chiquitania. However, due to unrest in the area following elections in Bolivia, the group was delayed until February.

“I will always remember my brothers that went with us from North Carolina, as well as friendships of the brothers I made over there,” said Williams. “In all of this, I think the travel and the sacrifice of leaving my family was hardest to deal with. We travelled through four airports over 22 hours to get to where we worked and, depending on where you were staying, it was four hours by bus or van.”

Travel wasn’t the only challenge, there was a bit of a communication issue as well.

“Communication was a problem, but Google Translator on our phones was a help,” said Avery.

Added Williams,“The language was somewhat of a barrier and we did work through with the technology of tanslation apps on our phones, to teach them (local linemen) some things to make work better for them. Linemen are all brothers, no matter where you go.”

On top of that, technology itself was a bit on an issue, and not just for communication.

“Equipment is very different,” said Avery. “They don’t have line trucks to dig holes and set the poles, and poles weren’t straight, but crooked.”

Poles used by electric utilities in the United States go through a rigorous debarking, drying, machining and treating process. There are various inspections along the way to ensure the poles are straight, strong and uniform. The poles in Bolivia are trimmed by hand so they aren’t as straight, but they are made of strong solid wood.

South River EMC is on a rotation to check the entirety of our system for damaged poles. Replacement of poles is done using a truck and other equipment, hand digging only as necessary.

“We had to hand-dig holes with post-hole diggers and what we call rock bars to break the ground up to dig,” said Williams.

“And they use a hard tree called the cuchi tree, and if it’s not harmed by nature, it can last 100 years without rotting.” And while many linemen here in the United States work out of a bucket, or by climbing a pole, crews in Bolivia work with what they have, sometimes a ladder, or with a handline to lift supplies up to work once they’re on the pole.

“They are limited in tools and equipment because of the expense in getting them over there (to Bolivia),” said Williams. “But, the men over there work hard and are good workers with what they do have.”

The eight volunteers oversaw the work of local lineman, as well as providing training and guidance.

“Bolivian people are so hard working and willing to learn your ways and help you,” said Avery.

Communication challenges weren’t limited to language barriers. The linemen visiting Bolivia couldn’t contact home unless they were lucky enough to be somewhere with internet access.

Despite the challenges presented by differences in language, cultures and equipment, the experience was the opportunity of a lifetime that these linemen will cherish forever.