Spirits are high among visiting crew members staging at Expo Square.

Shane Theriot and his fellow linemen from Westwego, La., came rumbling through the doors of the QuikTrip Center just after 7 a.m. Wednesday, a hint of mischief in their wake.

For starters, they were smiling.

Too early for that.

And then there were the baseball caps -- worn by Theriot and one other fellow lineman: canary-yellow with "LSU" etched on the front.

Yes, even Louisiana State University football diehards are here to help Tulsa dig out of the most devastating ice storm in decades.

Wednesday morning, Theriot and thousands of other linemen and tree trimmers from around the country began their day before daylight with a warm breakfast at Expo Square.

The 240-acre facility is being used as a staging area by American Electric Power-Public Service Company of Oklahoma.

"We were pretty much in a rush (to get here)," Theriot said as he sat down to a plate full of scrambled eggs and biscuits and gravy. "We didn't even get a chance to see how bad it was."

Siegmund Brown, president of EXPOSERVE Management Corp., estimated that about 3,500 workers stopped by for breakfast before leaving with a boxed lunch to get them through their 16-hour day.

Come dinner time, most were expected back for three-way chili.

"This has been a tremendous effort from all parties involved," Brown said.

Outside

Gene Woolsey and his line crew of 30 came up from Jackson, Miss. They are staying in a hotel with lights and water but no heat.

Not to worry, he says.

"We do work in other states all the time," he said, "so we pretty much know what to expect."

For those workers not so lucky, sleeping areas have been set up at Expo Square's Trade Center, Ford Truck Arena and Livestock Arena.

By 8:30 a.m., the Trade Center was deserted, save for a few empty cardboard boxes and dozens of inflatable beds covered with disheveled sheets.

It was just about then that the midway full of trucks began to rumble out of the fairgrounds.

Theriot was in one of them.

"We're gung-ho right now," he said. "I'm sure by the end of the week it might change, you never know."

Still, he said he plans to make the best of it.

There is a chance he won't be home in time to celebrate Christmas with his 7-year-old daughter, MacKenzie, so he shared a few presents with her before he left Louisiana on Tuesday.

Until he can spoil her with more presents upon his return, he's staying in touch with her over the phone.

"She calls me every 20, 30 minutes asking me what it's like here," he said.

Then he was off to find out.

Kevin Canfield 581-8313
kevin.canfield@tulsaworld.com