Linemen & Relief Workers Being Displaced Due to the Wake Forest Game...

[LesClaypool]

This is a developing story in Tallahassee that is picking up a lot of steam but it probably needs to be even more at the forefront of the news that it is.

Tallahassee is one of (perhaps/probably the main) staging grounds for many of the linemen and relief workers that are working in the Panhandle right now.

Well...it's Homecoming Weekend at FSU, and we have a home football game on Saturday. Those people going to the game reserved their rooms months ago, and presumably/understandably expect to have them when they arrive. The only problem is that every room in town is inhabited by linemen and relief workers...So they're being kicked out.

One of my friends on FB just posted that he has two extra rooms available at his house this weekend for any of the relief workers that need a place to stay - a nice gesture and a great idea...but how can he, and others who would like to do the same, get the word out so that it gets to these people in time?

What a mess!

EDIT: According to WTXL news in Tallahassee, http://www.wtxl.com/news/tallahasse...cle_27b2bb70-d189-11e8-9f33-574f1443fe6a.html it looks like a lot of people are cancelling their reservations and the hotels are not expecting that they'll have to kick anyone out. I hope that's true...and assuming it is, forgive me for buying into the sensationalism.

 

[tolkien1]

My wife has relatives coming down for the game from Vermont. Been planning the trip for six months. They called the hotel yesterday to doublecheck and were told, "Well, you do have a reservation but we have evacuees, emergency workers, etc. and we are still not sure how all of this is going to work out." They heard the same thing in regard to their rental car. So, they cancelled the trip. Did not want to get down here and not have a place to stay but also did not want to displace someone. (We already have a full house this weekend so we are out of room).

 

[NoleMoreTears]

A mess but as you note it's a time for humanity to step up and do what's right.

If I owned anything in that area I'd put up my basement or whatever. Hope others can...

 

[dero316]

Not sure for how long, but they're hosting lineman and relief workers at the Civic Center and Lawson Center:

Tucker Center playing host to linemen helping restore power

 

[tolkien1]

A mess but as you note it's a time for humanity to step up and do what's right.

If I owned anything in that area I'd put up my basement or whatever. Hope others can...[/QUO

A mess but as you note it's a time for humanity to step up and do what's right.

If I owned anything in that area I'd put up my basement or whatever. Hope others can...

Yep, that's what they were thinking, did not want to displace someone who needed it more. Our little neighborhood is housing several evacuees from the west as is my mother in law.

 

[Gonolz]

We certainly could use more good linemen in Tallahassee this weekend.

 

[CC0492]

We certainly could use more good linemen in Tallahassee this weekend.

 

[FSUdawg]

While this is similar to the 2000 election during uf weekend, the circumstances are certainly different. Back then I was all for kicking the media out of the hotels to free up the rooms for fans. This time around I hope nobody gets kicked out of the hotel rooms, especially evacuees.

 

[ggmike1992]

While this is similar to the 2000 election during uf weekend, the circumstances are certainly different. Back then I was all for kicking the media out of the hotels to free up the rooms for fans. This time around I hope nobody gets kicked out of the hotel rooms, especially evacuees.

A little research shows the 2000 game was between #3 FSU and #4 FU. The Noles were coming off a National Championship, had Heisman Trophy winner in Chris Weinke, and a birth in another title game on the line. I wonder if the sentiment currently being displayed would still be shown if we had those circumstances this weekend?

 

[NoleNewsIsGoodNews]

This is one time Fans coming to the game should cancel their rooms and either drive home after or just not come at all...that's a bad look kicking out guys who are working 16 hour shifts daily

 

[LandsharkNole]

We certainly could use more good linemen in Tallahassee this weekend.

Winner

 

[NoleFan2U]

I am sure most people are understanding about the game. I can't imagine even Miami Hurricane Fans being upset that they gave away their room to people helping with storm clean up.

 

[Formerly Rockymtnole]

Let’s see if fans are as willing to give up their hotel rooms on Clemson and Florida weekends.

Then, my faith in humanity will be restored.

 

[LandsharkNole]

Man, this is a hard one. It’s a double edge sword. I guess just looking at it singularly id side with the humanitarian efforts ultimately winning out. I would not want to see any evacuees losing their spots. But how much would this effect the local economy? Especially being homecoming? And even more so coming off of a storm that most likely did a good bit of damage to it already? Feel like there could be some middle ground somewhere. I don’t know any of those answers or even if they’re decent talking points. Just thinking out loud.

 

[LandsharkNole]

Now the lineman on the other hand, eh I don’t know...I feel like these companies while performing about the most needed service possible are also making a ridiculous amount of money and can work around some things and make different arrangements for their personnel. And while I have nothing against linemen I tend to roll my eyes when people talk about the “heroes” they are. Yes they’re working long shifts and are away from their families but, a lot of jobs require that. It isn’t charity work, they are making a doctors salary for their efforts.

 

[Fijimn]

Now the lineman on the other hand, eh I don’t know...I feel like these companies while performing about the most needed service possible are also making a ridiculous amount of money and can work around some things and make different arrangements for their personnel. And while I have nothing against linemen I tend to roll my eyes when people talk about the “heroes” they are. Yes they’re working long shifts and are away from their families but, a lot of jobs require that. It isn’t charity work, they are making a doctors salary for their efforts.

Don’t you bring that noise to Wichita

 

[mcgrawfsu]

Now the lineman on the other hand, eh I don’t know...I feel like these companies while performing about the most needed service possible are also making a ridiculous amount of money and can work around some things and make different arrangements for their personnel. And while I have nothing against linemen I tend to roll my eyes when people talk about the “heroes” they are. Yes they’re working long shifts and are away from their families but, a lot of jobs require that. It isn’t charity work, they are making a doctors salary for their efforts.

I've been waiting for this. After the hurricanes of 2004 the "hero" term was thrown around a bunch. I get it, anyone who restores your power would be a hero. After Wilma, I was able to see how crazy the pay is for these guys. Not just them though. The staffing/consulting firms that are placing these guys are making a killing too. After Wilma, BellSouth was basically able to replace their entire infrastructure from Port St Lucie to Miami with Fema money.

 

[62Nole]

Speaking of linesmen, I hope we have rooms for the head linesman, referee, side judge, back judge umpire and chain gang. Of course they have a crappy game and they won't need a room 'cause their butts will be run out of town. Gooooooo Noles!!!!

 

[seminole97]

Now the lineman on the other hand, eh I don’t know...I feel like these companies while performing about the most needed service possible are also making a ridiculous amount of money and can work around some things and make different arrangements for their personnel. And while I have nothing against linemen I tend to roll my eyes when people talk about the “heroes” they are. Yes they’re working long shifts and are away from their families but, a lot of jobs require that. It isn’t charity work, they are making a doctors salary for their efforts.

Not sure where doctors fall on this list, but the fatal incident rate for lineman has improved substantially in just the last 10 years.

 

[NoleLizards]

Not sure where doctors fall on this list, but the fatal incident rate for lineman has improved substantially in just the last 10 years.

 

[surfnole]

Man, this is a hard one. It’s a double edge sword. I guess just looking at it singularly id side with the humanitarian efforts ultimately winning out. I would not want to see any evacuees losing their spots. But how much would this effect the local economy? Especially being homecoming? And even more so coming off of a storm that most likely did a good bit of damage to it already? Feel like there could be some middle ground somewhere. I don’t know any of those answers or even if they’re decent talking points. Just thinking out loud.

I think hotels/restaurants full of workers for weeks at a time will bring in far more money than a few home games with hotels full for two nights. On the other hand, a hotel will make at least a weeks worth of income on a two day game weekend.

 

[DFSNOLE]

I can tell you that all the hotels and motels here in Walton County are full of relief workers as well. Agencies are asking for volunteer homes to help house the overflow.

 

[LandsharkNole]

I think hotels/restaurants full of workers for weeks at a time will bring in far more money than a few home games with hotels full for two nights. On the other hand, a hotel will make at least a weeks worth of income on a two day game weekend.

That’s a good point

 

[goldmom]

Let’s see if fans are as willing to give up their hotel rooms on Clemson and Florida weekends.

Then, my faith in humanity will be restored.

Since Clemson is a noon kick, the demand for rooms will be a good bit lower since so many can do a turnaround - by Thanksgiving many relief workers will have cleared out.

 

[wbnolefan2]

Where are these guys working - i.e. isn't all the power outage a good bit west of Tally??

 

[PoopandBoogers]

Where are these guys working - i.e. isn't all the power outage a good bit west of Tally??

Gulf, Bay, Franklin, Wakulla, etc. But Tally has the rooms...and power, ice, internet, HD/Lowes/Grainger/Graybar etc. So its used as a major resupply, staging, operations center.

 

[NoleGrad83]

My golf team is playing a regional golf tournament at Killearn next week and I couldn't find a hotel in our price near Tallahassee. I did find a room in Madison, so we'll see how that goes.

 

[OrlandNole]

Now the lineman on the other hand, eh I don’t know...I feel like these companies while performing about the most needed service possible are also making a ridiculous amount of money and can work around some things and make different arrangements for their personnel. And while I have nothing against linemen I tend to roll my eyes when people talk about the “heroes” they are. Yes they’re working long shifts and are away from their families but, a lot of jobs require that. It isn’t charity work, they are making a doctors salary for their efforts.

This is true, but the hotel rooms create the capacity for the utility workers to get power back online as quickly as possible. Plus, as someone else mentioned, the cumulative revenue from weeks of hotel stays and local purchases should offset the impacts to the local economy.

 

[KevNole]

Gave our two of 7 Wake tickets to a Nole fan.
Sold two of the Clemson tickets half price to Nole.
Having five kids, 7 G-kids and my sisters family in P.C, I won’t be going for a while. Not sure when they will go. Or what they did with their tickets. Least of my worries

 

[NoleSoup4U]

I am sure most people are understanding about the game. I can't imagine even Miami Hurricane Fans being upset that they gave away their room to people helping with storm clean up.