SIOUX FALLS, SD (Dakota News Now) – On Wednesday, five crews from South Dakota Electric Cooperative headed to South Carolina to help victims of Hurricane Helene.

Dakota News Now caught up with them before their trip began.

Twenty men set off for Pickens, South Carolina in the northwest part of the state, about 30 minutes from North Carolina.

As challenging as this transition can be, the task ahead is what has motivated them.

Crews were informed yesterday by the South Dakota Rural Electric Association that they would be embarking on this 1,200 mile journey.

“All we know is that we are going to Pickens, South Carolina to help a co-op there. They told us to be ready to be gone for about two weeks,” said Mike Oines, Sioux Valley Electric Lead Journey Line.

Since Tuesday, crews have had to make sure business is in order in South Dakota, and for this trip, Transmission Superintendent Wade Bialas said his people are ready for anything.

“We just go in and try to improve the situation, try to help. It’s always nice to feel like you know you’re coming from the outside to help, and most of the time people are very grateful,” Bialas said.

They are expected to work in all types of terrain, from swamps to mountainous regions.

“It sounds like a lot of trees fell because of the hurricane’s winds, the wire was torn down, so trees were cut down, wire was put back up and maybe a few poles were repaired,” Bialas said.

Hurricane Helene made landfall last Thursday as a Category 4 storm.

Earlier Wednesday, the Pickens area was visited by Senator Lindsay Graham and Congressman William Timmons.

Crews are expected to be there for approximately two weeks, although that will change depending on the duration of the need.

In a news release Wednesday, XCEL Energy said it is sending crews to Georgia to assist with recovery efforts there.

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