One Indiana Michigan Power Lineman's Battle to Restore Power in Brutal Cold

ELKHART, Ind. -- With wind chills well below zero, the last thing anyone needs is for the power to go out.

However, that’s exactly what happened for a section of Elkhart County early Friday morning when a car slid off a county road into a power pole.

Indiana Michigan Power crews were called out in dangerous cold, raced to restore power while keeping themselves safe.

Indiana Michigan Power lineman Jacob Shilling started loading up his I&M truck early Friday morning to assist in the power restoration process. He told ABC57 that preparedness is key in extreme cold, so he made sure he was bundled up, well hydrated, and had hand-warmers ready.

Despite the winter weather, all the work to get the power back on was done within about three hours.

Shilling says the conditions Friday were some of the harshest he has dealt with in his five years with I&M.

"It’s really cold for us out there, and we can only bundle up so much," Shilling explained, "and once you get all your layers on, your rubber goods get cold, you pretty much have to stop and re-warm everything up to get going again."

Shilling said if you do see I&M crews working in these conditions, you should give them plenty of space to work. Better yet, according to Shilling: stay home if you can. That way you'll stay safe and also not risk the safety, and power, of your neighbors in these frigid conditions.