PECO workers talk about rescue

PHILADELPHIA - February 28, 2008 The two PECO workers who were stuck 13 stories above the ground are talking about their ordeal and the rescue effort that plucked them off the pole and into safety.

24 hours after their dramatic rescue, the two PECO high wire linemen met with reporters at PECO headquarters.

Dave Acree and Chris Russell said they were doing routine maintenance on the 130-foot tower when their bucket truck failed.

"We realized we were in trouble. There was a static arm above us, so we both put our lanyards over that…we climbed up on the basket and jumped up on the arm," Russell said.

For nearly two and a half hours, the two men talked to each other and to those on the ground. They said it was cold and frustrating.

Russell hung on to the arm while Acree stood on a wire no wider than his finger.

"[My] feet were tired and cold. There was not much room to stand, and very limited on where I could lean over and where I could go," Acree said.

Acree and Russell soon learned that the Coast Guard was on its way to rescue them.

"We wanted to high five," Russell said.

"As soon as I left the arm, I was relieved," Acree said.

Chris Russell's 4 and 7 year old daughters made thank you cards for the coast guard.

"It says thank you for saving my dad," Russell said.

Both men were in good spirits and anxious to get back to work.

Before meeting with reporters, they met with others in their group of high wire experts to talk about their hopefully once in a life time experience.