Crews with Davey Utility Services helped clear lines and minimize outages brought by storms that pounded Northern California in early 2008. Approximately 2 million Pacific Gas and Electric Company customers - or nearly 40 percent of its consumers - were without power after hurricane-force winds, heavy rain and snow struck Jan. 4. Davey crews responded to this emergency by clearing broken trees and fallen limbs off power lines. Many initially worked more than 24 hours straight, only sleeping in their trucks when they needed to rest. Davey exceeded expectations by helping PG&E with damage assessments and prioritizations of necessary work. Crews also stepped up when an unusual tree removal was necessary. A large conifer was uprooted during the storms and landed in another tree, affecting lines that caused local customers to be without power for three days. Because the situation was so hazardous, lines had to be dropped to the ground to allow the tree to be pulled loose. Crews safely utilized a 100-foot lift truck to complete the task.