Insight from the Trenches: Tom Langley

It is important to realize that help is out there. Oftentimes I have faced a situation that I knew was serious, but did not have enough information to know the extent of the problem or emergency. In these types of situations, it is better to call in leadership or at least set up a conference call as you work to get more information on the problem. Otherwise, you will be behind on the restoration effort right from the start.

Simply put, you can never have too much help, but sometimes you may need to convince others that they need help – for example, districts always believe they can take care of their own customers and do not need help from other districts or outsiders. This is not the easiest thing in the world to do, but it can be done with some persistence and an empathetic approach.