LIHU‘E — In a long-distance substitution of sorts, two more Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative personnel are now in Samoa to help with recovery efforts following last month’s earthquake and tsunami.

Ken Yamamoto and Greg Perreira left Lihu‘e Airport Thursday afternoon with 10 big boxes of contributed relief supplies to join the other KIUC personnel in Samoa, but no sooner had they left than two colleagues were returning to Hawai‘i.

“Two of the men, Bobby Koteles and Jeremy McKelvy, return home this morning (Friday) after being there since Oct. 8,” said Shelley Paik, the KIUC information officer. “Ken and Greg are going over with relief supplies that have been coming into our office and contributed by KIUC employees.”

Paik said the shipment of 10 boxes, each containing 70 pounds of relief supplies, have been accommodated by Hawaiian Airlines. The packing boxes were contributed by Kaua‘i Commercial to help with the Samoan relief efforts, Paik said.

“With the two men coming home and two leaving today, we still have six men in Samoa helping,” said KIUC President and CEO Randy Hee, who came to the airport to see the pair off. “When the first two people went to Samoa, they were putting in some long hours. But with Federal Emergency Management Agency flying in generators, the crews down there have been setting up ‘islands’ and the hours have been cut back a little.”

Hee said when the earthquake and tsunami struck, Samoa lost one of its two generation plants.

“It was inundated,” Hee said. “We have two diesel mechanics and four linemen down there helping to restore some of the machinery that were hit. We also shipped five pallets of supplies which should have gotten there last Friday.”

This is in addition to the two pickup trucks, a service line truck and a derrick/digger line truck that were shipped to Samoa.

Paik said there is still a lot of relief supplies left in the office which needs to be packed up and shipped to Samoa.

“Samoa is a member of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association like we are, and helping them is a good experience,” Hee said. “This is part of a prearranged Mutual Assistance Agreement that all members sign and is acceptable to FEMA.”

Hee said in the past KIUC has sent personnel to the Mainland to help in similar disaster recovery efforts, but the men are doing really well in Samoa.

“Maybe it’s because they’re an island like we are,” Hee said. “But our guys are getting along really well. You gotta be proud of what they’re doing down there.”