CPS Energy worker joining Puerto Rico recovery effort: 'It's in our blood' to help

Two workers left Friday to help Caribbean island recover from hurricane

SAN ANTONIO – Two employees of CPS Energy in San Antonio are among the latest to join the recovery efforts in Puerto Rico.

Construction manager Larry Aguayo, and Manuel Gonzalez, a senior manager for safety and health, boarded a plane Friday morning for the U.S. territory.

"It's in our blood. When we get big storms like this, we want to go out and help," Aguayo said.

Puerto Rico was among several Caribbean islands hit hard by Hurricane Maria in September. The powerful storm destroyed much of its infrastructure.

Aguayo and Gonzalez volunteered to help.  As managers, they will oversee employees on the front lines, ensuring their safety.

"Some of the areas that they have to work on, there are remote areas," Aguayo said. "It's all climbs. You can't get any trucks to it."

Gonzalez said he expects that the coming weeks will be challenging. Progress on the island has been slow.

"There are going to be some things that, maybe, haven't changed much since the day the hurricane hit. So we're getting ourselves ready for that," Gonzalez said.

The team will remain in Puerto Rico, also known as the Island of Enchantment, for about four weeks, bringing help to many people who have needed it for more than four months.


About the Author:

Katrina Webber joined KSAT 12 in December 2009. She reports for Good Morning San Antonio. Katrina was born and raised in Queens, NY, but after living in Gulf Coast states for the past decade, she feels right at home in Texas. It's not unusual to find her singing karaoke or leading a song with her church choir when she's not on-air.