Nearly 8,000 Georgia Power customers in the Bainbridge area lost power during Tropical Storm Irma, according to Area Manager Joe Truhett, who said that was about half his customer base.

“All the resources we normally have were taking care of their own customers to the East of us, or were out in Texas or down in Florida,” Truhett said. “ All I had here was my own crew of eight.”

None of the Bainbridge crew was sent elsewhere.

Truhett continued by saying Tuesday was the first day they could get outside and work. Wind conditions made it unsafe on Monday. When they did get rolling on Tuesday, their first priorities were to get Riverside Place Nursing Home, Donalsonville Hospital and Potter Street Elementary all up and going. He said the local crew has been working daily from 5 a.m. to late night —11:30 or 10 p.m., beginning on Tuesday.

Thursday at noon, Truhett said they had repaired service to all but 300 customers, and he expected all who can take power will have service on Friday.

He regrets the response was not quicker, but they simply didn’t have the manpower to respond to all as quickly as they would have liked.